Martin and the Alicorns
by wweather
Summary: When Princess Luna gets captured by Badrang the Tyrant, her sister Princess Celestia must join forces with Martin the Warrior to free the world from an evil.
1. Chapter 1

**RECAP:** _After helping Lord Brock dwarf the evil cat Ungatt Trumpet in my last story, Princess Luna has bean captured by Badrang the Trident. What will happen?_

Martin was a young mouse, but of strong build, with a glint in his eye that proclaimed him a born fighter. A creature of few words who never chattered needlessly. The early summer sun of the Eastern Coast beat down pitilessly on his unprotected head as he carried and stacked chunks of rock beside the masons who would shape it into blocks that would enlarge Fort Marshank.

Marshank had been built by slaves under the evil stoat Badrang the Tyrant. A former corsair, Badrang wanted to become the lord of all the Eastern Coast. He had a huge army of rats, weasels, ferrets, and foxes, but no other stoats. He didn't trust other stoats. Anyway, he had forced his slaves to build Marshank, his fortress, but he was never satisfied with it and kept wanting them to make it bigger. Badrang and his soldiers were always going on expeditions to bring back more slaves. That's where Badrang was now.

A weasel Captain named Hisk swaggered up, cracking his long whip threateningly, looking for an excuse to cut loose on the slaves who toiled in the dusty heat around him. His eye settled on the young mouse.

"You there, liven yourself up! Come on, stir yer stumps. Lord Badrang is coming back to Marshank today. Get movin' or I'll stick this whip in a place you won't like it being in!"

Martin dropped the rock he was carrying and stood staring levelly at the bullying weasel. Hisk cracked the lash viciously, the tip flicking the air a fraction from Martin's face. The young mouse did not move. His eyes glazed over as he stood in silent defiance.

The weasel Captain drew the lash back to strike, but the bold, angry eyes of the young slave seemed to challenge him. Like all bullies, the weasel was a coward at heart. Averting his gaze from the piercing stare, Hisk snapped his whip in the direction of some more timid creatures.

"C'mon, you worthless idlers, no work, no food. Move your carcasses. 'Ere comes Lord Badrang!"

Flanked by his aides, Gurrad the rat and Skalrag the fox, Badrang the Tyrant strode imperiously onto the site, leading a dark furred creature on a halter. This was Princess Luna of Equestria, his newest slave that he had captured. Luna was an alicorn, a unicorn with wings. She had the ability to perform powerful magic, especially at night when the moon was up. Badrang had seen what she could do. He had watched her kill an evil rat named Doomeye with a blast of magic from her unicorn horn and thought he could use a powerful creature like that to work for him. (This is told in another story of mine, MY LITTLE BROCKTREE.)

Badrang dragged Luna inside the gates of Marshank. She was fighting him every step of the way. Luna tried to fly away, but she couldn't break free of the rope Badrang had around her neck.

"How dare you treat a pony princess in this manner?" Luna raged. "My sister is a princess too. When she finds out where I am, you'll be sorry!"

Skalrag scoffed. "Hah, everybeast says somethin' like that when they first get here. Forget about escapin'. You'll soon see it ain't no use!"

"The only escape from Marshank is death," Badrang agreed. "Skalrag, Gurrad, take this creature to Room 101."

The fox and the rat forced Luna inside the main building.

Martin and his friend, a squirrel named Felldoh, had been watching. "What's in Room 101?" Martin asked.

Felldoh shook his head. "I don't know, but I'll bet it's something horrible. They brought a vole named Druwp in there once and he hasn't been the same since."

"Hey you! No talking! Get back to work!" Hisk shouted. He cracked his whip at them but didn't actually hit them with it since he was afraid of them.

Badrang addressed Hisk. "Will my fortress be finished before summer is out?"

Hisk waved his whip about at the slaves. "Lord, if the weather was cooler an' we 'ad more creatures…"

Badrang moved swiftly in his anger. Seizing a pebble, he hurled it, striking Hisk on the jaw. The weasel Captain stood dumbly, blood trickling from his lip as the Tyrant berated him.

"Excuses! I don't want to hear complaints or excuses, d'you hear me? What I need is a fortress built before autumn. Well, don't stand there sniveling, get on with it!

Immediately, Hisk got to work, flaying about with the whip as he passed on his master's bad mood.

"Move, you useless lumps! You heard Lord Badrang, Marshank must be ready before the season's out! It'll be double the work an' half rations from now on. Move!"

A young hare was staggering by, bent double under the rock he was carrying. Hisk lashed out at him. The hare dropped the rock. The weasel began laying into his victim, striking indiscriminately at the old one's frail body.

"You worthless rabbit, I'll strip the mis'rable hide off yer!"

"I beg your pardon, old chap," said the hare. "I'm not a rabbit, I'm a hare, wot wot."

The lash rose and fell as Hisk flogged away at the unprotected creature on the ground.

"If I say you're a rabbit, you're a rabbit! I'll teach yer a lesson yer won't ferget!"

The hare sobbed with pain. "Ok! Ok!" Instead of saying "Okay," he pronounced it as  
"Ock." "I'm a rabbit! I'm a rabbit! Everything's whatever you jolly well say it is!"

Martin was outraged. How dare someone make a hare call himself a rabbit?

As Hisk drew his whip back, preparing for another blow, Martin raced up to him and snatched the lash out of his paw. Hisk tried to grab it back, but Martin managed to tangle the whip around the weasel's footpaws, causing him to trip and fall over.

In a trice the mouse was set upon by the nearest six guards. He disappeared beneath a jumble of ferrets, weasels, and rats as they pounded him mercilessly, stamping upon his paws and breaking his hold on the whip. They continued relentlessly beating him with spear handles, rods, and whips until Badrang intervened.

"That's enough! Bring him to me!"

His paws pinioned by whips and a spear handle pulled hard across his throat, Martin was dragged struggling and kicking into the warlord's presence.

Badrang drew his sword and pressed the point against the young one's heaving chest. Leaning forward, he hissed into the captive's face, "You know the penalty is death for striking one of my Captains," even though he just did himself. "I could run you through with my sword and snuff out your life. What d'you say to that, mouse?"

The strong young mouse's eyes burned into the Tyrant's face like twin flames as he gritted out, "Scum! That sword is not yours, it belongs to me as it belonged to my father!"

Badrang quivered with rage as he shouted. "Take him out on the walltop and tie him up between those two posts! That'll teach him a lesson!"

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Princess Celestia, Luna's older sister, surveyed Marshank from afar. She looked just like Luna, except she was white and had all the colors of the rainbow in her mane. She had seen hoofprints leading into the prison, accompanied by several pawprints. Celestia was not the greatest tracker in the world, but it was clear from the prints that the hooved creature had been dragged along. In some places, the hooves were nowhere to be seen for a few feet, but then they appeared again, which attested to the hooved creature being able to fly as well. It was almost certainly Luna. Still, she couldn't just walk into this place. She sensed that it was dangerous.

"Hurr, gudd day to 'ee, marm!"

Celestia turned to see two creatures, a mouse and a mole. She curtseyed. "And a good day to you. My name is Princess Celestia of Equestria."

"I am Laterose of Noonvale," said the mouse. "My friends call me Rose. This mole is Grumm Trencher. What sort of creature are you?"

"I'm an alicorn. I have the horn of a unicorn and the wings of a Pegasus."

"Wot be you'm a-doing in these yurr parts?" Grumm asked.

"I'm searching for my younger sister, Princess Luna, an alicorn like myself. I believe she is being held captive in that building. What is that place?"

Rose shuddered. "That's Marshank, a horrible prison. It was built by an evil stoat named Badrang. Most of the beasts round here call it the Shank. My brother Brome is a prisoner in there. Grumm and I are trying to find a way to break him out."

"So you're trying to rescue your brother, and I'm searching for my sister," Celestia said. "Why don't we work together?"

"Sounds good," said Rose.

"You'm can join us fur vittles," said Grumm. "Oi made veggible zoop. Oi bain't cookin' vittles to lay abowt an' git cold 'n' soggy. Bo urr no."

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Will Martin survive the knight? Will Celestial and Rose find their siblings? What is inn Room 101? Find out next time._


	2. Chapter 2

**RECAP:** _Celestia as joined forces with Rose of Nonvalue to free Brome and Luna form prison. Mean whale, Martin has been tied up on the wall after tripping a vermin guard with his own ship so as to keep him from beating a pore hare and Luna was taken to the mysterious Room 101._

Badrang had tied Martin between two posts up on the wall of Marshank. "Let's see how defiant you are when the bats finish with you," he'd said.

As a gale shrieked, driving heavy rain before it, Martin's mind went back to the caves on the northwest shore where he had been born. He had grown up in a town on the coast with mice, moles, and hedgehogs. Luke the Warrior was his father. He had never known a mother; she had been killed in an attack by a corsair stoat named Vilu Daskar, not all that different from the stoat Badrang who was keeping him prisoner now. Luke had raised him the best way he could, but Luke was a warrior and sworn to the destruction of searats and corsairs. He was unused to rearing babes.

One day Luke and some other mouse warriors captured a ship from another group of pirates that was trying to attack the village, and they set out to meet Vilu Daskar on the shores of the waters far away and make an end of him. Before Luke went, he gave Martin his trusty old sword. He said Martin should stay behind and defend their cave and land.

"You will stay and defend our cave against all comers, protect those weaker than yourself and honor our code. Always use the sword to stand for good and right, never do a thing you would be ashamed of, but never let your heart rule your mind," Luke said. "And never ever let another creature take this sword from you, not as long as you live. When the time comes, pass it on to another, maybe your own son. You will know instinctively if he is a warrior."

"But what if I don't end up having a son?" Martin asked.

"If not, hide the sword where only a true warrior who is brave of heart, would dare go to find it. Swear this to me Martin."

"I swear it, on my life!"

Martin took his vow seriously. Every day, he patrolled the cliffs with his sword, watching for invaders.

One day, he was up on the cliffs right above his cave home when he saw a battle going on. (See OUTCAST OF EQUESTRIA.) Two ferrets were fighting each other and so were two unicorns. A badger was tied up on the ground, and a Pegasus was trying to untie him, but the knots were too tight. A hare was standing there too.

Martin remembered his father had told him to protect the weak. It looked like the big ferret was the one attacking the others. The larger ferret had just killed the smaller one and was about to shoot the badger when Martin ran up behind him and drove his sword through the ferret's chest.

After killing the evil ferret, Martin tried to ask the other creatures what was going on and why they were there, but they refused to tell him anything. "You're simply going to have to forget everything that happened here today," the hare had said. Then he waved a stick in the air and they had all disappeared.

Martin realized that the hare must have been some kind of wizard or magician. Come to think of it, the hare he had defended from Hisk today looked an awful lot like that hare.

Afterwards, Martin had taken some of his friends up to see the dead ferrets. The smaller one had been taken away by somebeast mysteriously, but the big one was still there. Everybeast was very impressed with Martin, and that was when they started to call him Martin the Warrior instead of "Son of Luke the Warrior."

But a few weeks later, Martin was out chopping wood when a band of villainous looking creatures came running along the shore towards him.

A stoat headed the party. And the stoat was called Badrang! He grinned wickedly. "That's a big sword for a little mouse to be wielding. You'd better give it to me before you hurt yourself."

Martin held the sword point forward, unwavering. "Leave me alone, stay back! My father told me never to let another creature take this sword from me!"

Now the corsairs began spreading out slowly, encircling Martin, licking knives and spear blades as they chuckled evilly at him. Badrang took a step forward, his voice deceptively friendly. "A wise beast your father. Did he ever tell you about those who could slay with a single spear thrust? Like this… or this!" As he spoke the stoat brought up his spear and began jabbing expertly at Martin. The young mouse parried, fighting off the questing spear point amid the laughter of the cruel corsairs.

Martin probably could have won, but a weasel came and hit him over the head with an oaken pikestaff, laying him out flat on the sand. Badrang picked up the sword.

"Hmm, nice sword. It should serve me well. Hisk, we've wasted enough time. Chain 'im up and bring 'im to the slave lines."

That was how Martin came to be a slave to Badrang the Tyrant.

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When Luna was brought into Room 101, there was only one creature in there. He was a strange beast, comprised of parts of many different creatures. He had a deer antler, a goat leg, a bat wing, a snake tail, and the head of a pony.

"Hello, Princess Luna," he said. "My name is Discord."

Luna was too angry at the moment to wonder how he knew her name. "Let me out of here! I'll never be a slave to Badrang!"

"Oh, Badrang doesn't want you to be his slave, my dear," Discord smiled. "He wants you to be a captain in his horde. Your magic can bring anybeast who opposes Badrang to their knees."

"Well, that's even worse!" Luna cried. "What makes him think I'd ever want to help him?"

Discord casually levitated into the air and began walking around on the ceiling. "That's where I come in. You see, I can make creatures do things they don't want to do- or rather, _think_ they don't want to do. You think you don't want to hurt people, but deep down inside, you do."

"That's not true!" Luna shouted.

"I think it is," Discord said, turning into a balloon for no reason at all. "You've always been jealous of your sister Celestia, haven't you? She gets all the attention. The ponies relish and play in the day your elder sister brings forth, but shun and sleep through your beautiful night. You were the one who found those captured hares inside Salamandaston and prevented Doomeye from killing Lord Brocktree (See MY LITTLE BROCKTREE), but no one ever thanked you for it."

"But that doesn't mean I want to hurt other creatures. I know my sister appreciates me, even if she doesn't say it out loud. Anyway, how do you know all this?"

Discord sighed. "You've been kind for far too long, Princess. It's time for you to be… cruel!"

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A strength born of built up rage coursed suddenly through Martin. He stood erect, tugging at his bonds, oblivious to the pounding storm as a mighty roar welled up from deep inside him.

"I am a warrior! Martin son of Luke! I will live, I will not give in an die up here! Do you hear me, Badrang? I will live to take back my father's sword and slay you one day! Badraaaaaaannggg!"

The storm broke as night fell.

"Martin son of Luke, can you hear me?" a voice called up to him from the shore outside the fortress.

He could not see the speaker but he heard the voice clearly.

"Yes, I hear you. What is your name?"

"There are three of us, Princess Celestia, Grumm the mole, and myself, Rose of Noonvale. We heard you calling out. Tell me, is there a prisoner in there called Brome, a young mouse? He is my brother."

Martin shouted back, "I do not know of a mouse named Brome and I don't think I'll have much chance to! I am sentenced to die up here."

"What about my sister, Princess Luna? Have you seen an alicorn?" Celestia called.

"You mean one of those pony creatures with horns and wings? I saw Badrang bring one in today."

"Is there anything we can do for you?" Celestia asked.

"I don't know. I'm tied up between two posts. Badrang said something about bats coming for me. I don't know what that means?"

The next minute, though, he knew exactly what it meant, as a cloud of bats swooped out of the sky toward him. But these weren't friendly, peaceful bats like those that lived in the caves of Mossflower. These bats had been turned evil by Discord and now they were vicious vampire bats that liked nothing better than to suck the blood of innocent creatures!

"Vonderful!" the leader of the vampire bats said. His name was Batula. "Lord Badrang has left another offering for us. Ve vill drink him dry!"

"Aowurr, oi carn't lukk!" Grumm cried.

Martin shut his eyes.

Just as the first bat was about to bit him, Rose let out a scream. It sounded like the cry of a great hunting eagle. The noise scared the bats, and they flew away from Martin.

Rose beamed with pride. "Back home, I used that noise to scare away predators all the time."

"Vot in the name of Hellgates is going on?" Batula demanded. "Vot are you all scared of?"

"That's the hunting cry of a great eagle!" a vampire named Charon cried. "I've heard it before."

"Do eagles eat bats?" another asked.

"There are no eagles on this coast," Batula said scornfully. "Und anyvay, no bird can hurt us. Ve are vampires! Ve can only be killed by a stake or a C-R-O-S-S! (No vay I'm saying that vord.) Now stop playing the fool und help me kill this mouse!"

He dived for Martin, but Rose screeched again, even louder and angrier than before. This filled the bats with consternation.

Charon shielded himself with his wings. "That's a great eagle's huntin' cry. I vould stake my oath on it!"

"Rubbish!" ejaculated the leader. Just then, Grumm fitted a sizable stone into the spoon of his cooking ladle and whipped it off in the direction of Batula's bent bottom. _Thump!_ It struck hard and true.

"Somebeast is slinging stones!" the bats cried and zoomed off.

"Idiots! Cowards!" Batula shouted. "Vith me it's a matter of principle. I vill finish him off myself!"

Rose gave another bird cry, but Batula paid no heed.

"Can you fly up there and stop him?" Rose asked Celestia.

"I have a better idea," Celestia said. She did some magic with her horn and the sun came up. It was suddenly daytime!

Bats don't like the sun one bit, even when they're not vampires. With a shriek of terror, Batula turned on his wing and sped away after his followers.

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Will Disco succeed in converting Luna to evil? What will Badrang do when he learns how Marten escaped his trap? I am sure it does will be interesting._


	3. Chapter 3

**REAP:** _Badrang tried Martin up to be eaten by campfire bats, but Celesto managed to dive them away by making the sun come up early. Also, Discord has turn Luma to evil._

Badrang woke up with the early sun in his eyes. He was confused. It seemed like he had just gone to sleep. But he went ahead and got ready to start his day. He went up on the wall with two weasel guards, Rotnose and Stiffear, to see what had happened to Martin. To his surprise, he found the mouse alive and well.

Martin waved a paw at Badrang, as far as his bonds would allow. "Hello. Lovely night, wasn't it? Sleep well?"

Badrang crushed his nails into his palms, and ground his teeth to subdue the maxillary convulsions. "How are you still alive!? The vampire bats should've killed you!"

"Well, they flew away when the sun came up. Bats don't like the sun, y'know."

The Tyrant roared, "You'll wish the vampires had got you by the time I'm finished with you, whelp. Oh, don't worry, you'll die, but not fast. Fraction by fraction until you scream to welcome death. Take him away and lock him up. I'll deal with him after I've seen to the alicorn!"

Inside the courtyard, slightly to the left of the main gate, was a prison pit, dug deep into the ground with a heavy grating on top. The weasels took Martin and threw him in there, still with both paws bound to his sides. He fell through the darkness and fell with a cushioned bump on something soft.

"Ow!" a small voice squeaked.

Martin was alert. "Who's there? Where are you?"

"Underneath." The voice was muffled.

"Underneath what?"

"You!"

"Oh, sorry." Martin rolled over so that he wasn't on top of the other animal anymore. He peered into the darkness so he could get a good look at his fellow prisoner's face.

He saw a small, scared looking mouse. "Hello. My name's Brome. What do you suppose Badrang's going to do with us?"

"Don't be afraid, Brome," Martin reassured. "I'm Martin the Warrior. I won't let anybeast hurt you."

"I never did harm to anybeast. I was lost and blundering along the shore one night when the sentries on the wall saw me, and I was captured and thrown down here. Did they capture you, Martin? Will they keep us down here forever?"

"No, of course not," Martin said. "I'll get you out of here. And I've talked to your sister, and she can help us."

"Rose is here? Oh no, did she get captured too?"

"On the contrary. She's on the outside, trying to find a way to break us out. She helped save my life last night by scaring away the vampire bats that attacked me. And she's got two other creatures with her two, a mole named Grumm and an alicorn named Celestia."

The joy and relief in Brome's voice was almost tangible. "Hahaha, good old Grumm, I knew they'd find me!"

Then Martin had an idea. "Are you any good at untying knots, young un?"

"Tolerable good."

"Okay. So why don't you roll over and try to untie my paws, and then I can untie you?"

They did that. Once he was free to move about, Brome felt more confident right away. "With you in here and my sister Rose out there, we can Shawshank our way out of this place in no time. It'll be as simple as picking daisies!"

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Badrang went into Room 101. "Well, Princess, ready to work for me yet?"

Luna stood proudly and regally, and she spoke in a haughty voice. _**"I HATH SEEN THE TRUTH. IF I WERE TO REMAIN IN THE SHADOW OF MY SISTER, I SHOULD NEVER BE NOTICED BY ANYBEAST. I SHALL NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE SUBSERVIENT TO ANY CREATURE. IF THEY WILL NOT RESPECT ME AS A HERO, THEN THEY SHALL FEAR ME AS A VILLIAN! A VILLIAN WHO IS… EVIL!**_

" _ **MY NAME IS PRINCESS LUNA NO LONGER. INSTEAD, FROM THIS DAY FORTH, I SHALL BE KNOWN AS… NIGHTMARE MOON!"**_

"Excellent." Badrang rubbed his paws together like Mr. Burns. "And now, we have work to do. There is another corsair stoat named Tramun Clogg, a sort of rival to me. I hear he is comin' here now in his pirate ship. You can give him a dose of what you gave that rat an…" His voice trailed off when he saw the steely glint in Nightmare Moon's eyes.

" _ **MAYHAP YE NEVER HEARD ME SAY I SHALL NOT ALLOW MYSELF TO BE SUBSERVIENT TO ANY CREATURE. IF I AM TO WORK IN THIS PLACE, I SHALL**_ _ **RUN**_ _ **THIS PLACE!**_ _ **I**_ _ **SHALL BECOME THE NEW RULER OF THE EASTERN COASTS! THERE IS NO ROOM FOR THEE ANYMORE, BADRANG!"**_

For the first time in his life, Badrang felt fear. "Y-y-you can't kill me!" he blustered. "I'm the main villain! If you killed me, this story would be over!"

" _ **NO. IT WOULD SIMPLY MEAN THAT THE MAIN VILLIAN WOULD CHANGE PERSONS LIKE IN THE TAGGERUNG AFTER SAWNEY RATH WAS KILLED."**_ With that, she drove her unicorn horn into Badrang's chest, slaying him once and for all.

She then walked out into the courtyard to greet her new subjects. When she came out, the slaves were all working and most of the vermin were there supervising.

" _ **ATTENTION, FOALS. I HATH AN ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE. LISTEN WELL, ALL OF YE. I HATH KILLED BADRANG! HE IS DEAD!"**_

At this, everybeast started cheering. "We're free!" Felldoh cried.

But Nightmare Moon stomped her hoof and brought forth a blinding flash of light from her horn. _**"SILENCE!"**_ she bellowed. _**"THOU ART NOT FREE, NONE OF YE! I, NIGHTMARE MOON, AM THY MASTER NOW!"**_

They all fell silent. Suddenly it started to rain chocolate from the sky and Discord floated down on an umbrella. _**"THIS IS DISCORD,"**_ Nightmare Moon said. _**"HE IS TO BE MY SECOND IN COMMAND. HE AND I ARE THE ONLY ONES ALLOWED TO DO MAGIC IN THIS PLACE, WHICH WAS ONCE CALLED MARSHANK, BUT SHALL NOW BE KNOWN AS NIGHTMARE FORTRESS! IF THOU SEEST ANY OTHER BEAST DOING MAGIC, THOU SHALT REPORT HIM TO ME IMMEDIATELY, SO THAT I MAY DEAL WITH HIM.**_

" _ **NOW, WHERE ARE THE FOX SKALRAG AND THE RAT GURRAD?"**_

The two vermin sheepishly stepped up to the front of the crowd. _**"LOOK YE! THESE ARE THE TWO THAT HELPED TO CAPTURE ME AND DRAG ME TO THIS PLACE. THEY BEAT ME AND WHIPPED ME ON THE JOURNEY. THEY SHALL NOT GET AWAY FOR THEIR ILL TREATMENT OF ME! YE ARE BOTH HEREBY STRIPPED OF THY RANKS AND REDUCED TO COMMON SLAVES, AFTER YE SPEND THIRTY DAYS IN THE PRISON PIT!"**_

Two other guards carried the hapless rat and fox away.

" _ **NOW, I SHALL NEED TWO OTHER BEASTS TO TAKE THEIR PLACES. YE AND YE, COME UP HERE!"**_ She pointed her hoof at an otter named Keyla and a vole named Druwp. _**"YE SHALL BECOME MY NEW OFFICERS."**_

Druwp had been corrupted by Discord a long time ago, so that Badrang would have a spy among the slaves to pass information to him. He was overjoyed at the new power he had been given over his fellow woodlanders. He was once a good vole, but now that he'd fallen afoul of Discord, he was nasty and selfish and loved hurting others.

Keyla was also happy, but for a different reason. He saw this as a chance to do some good for the other slaves. He could work secretly against Nightmare Moon and help bring Nightmare Fortress down from the inside, he thought.

Nightmare Moon handed a spear each to Druwp and Keyla. _**"DO YE SWEAR THAT YE WILL SERVE ME AND BE LOYAL TO ME, EMPRESS NIGHTMARE MOON?"**_

"Aye!" they both replied.

The alicorn turned to address the crowd. _**"YE SHALL FIND THAT NOTHING ESCAPES THY NEW QUEEN'S NOTICE. WORK HARD AND WELL, I MAY FREE YE FROM SLAVERY**_ _**AND PROMOTE YE TO BE SOLDIERS IN MY ARMY, TELL THY FRIENDS THIS. AND YE SOLDIERS, IF I FIND YE TO BE SLOW AND LAZY, THEN I SHALL TAKETH AWAY THY UNIFORMS AND MAKETH SLAVES OF YE, LET THY COMRADES KNOW THIS. BUT REMEMBER THIS, ALL OF YE! EVEN THINK OF PLAYING ME FALSE AND YE SHALL MEET THE SAME FATE AS THE FORMER LORD BADRANG.**_

" _ **FROM NOW ON, YE SHALL WORK HARDER THAN EVER. HE WHO DOTH NOT WORK SHALT NOT EAT! WE SHALL NOT HALT CONSTRUCTION OF NIGHTMARE FORTRESS UNTIL IT REACHES ALL THE WAY TO THE MOON!**_ _ **MWAHAHAHAHA!**_ _ **"**_ And she blew off.

Discord followed her. "I think we're going to have a lot of fun now!" he cackled.

The slaves were left in a bewildered group by the door, murmuring quietly to each other. Felldoh was talking to the hare that Martin had saved from Hisk the previous day.

"I say, I never saw anything quite like that before, wot?" said the hare.

Felldoh nodded. "Aye, she's crazier than Badrang was, if y'ask me. I think we've come out of the frypan into the fire."

"She's completely bonkers. Must be her sudden power bonkin' round her brain."

"Huh, I'd sooner be dead than serve that thing as a soldier!"

"Who's bothered about what we think?" the hare said. "Nobeast asks a slave anything, they just tell 'em, wot!"

"You know, I don't think I've ever actually talked to you before. What's your name?" Felldoh asked the hare.

The hare grinned. "M'name's William David Truman Joshua Stag Hare. But you can call me Joshy, wot wot!"

Suddenly, a pirate ship appeared on the horizon!

 **TOBY CONTINUE:** _Who is in the shop? Could it be Clog? And how will Marshawn be different now that Nightmare Moan is in charge of it? Weight and see…_ __


	4. Chapter 4

**RECAP:** _After being turned evil by Disco, Priestess Luna became Nightmare Moon. She killed Barding and took his place as ruler of Marshank, which she renamed Nightmare Fortress._

Captain Clogg of the ship _Seascarab_ was a villainous sight, an enormously fat stoat dressed in stained and tawdry silks, wearing a massive pair of carved wooden clogs. Every part of his fur wherever possible was plaited and braided- beard, eyebrows, mustache- all over his gargantuan body. Plaits and braids stuck out of his ragged sleeve frills, spilled through rents in his shirt, coat and pantaloons, even curled over the tops of the oversized clogs. He cut an awkward jig, his clogs clattering noisily on the poop deck.

"Haharrharr! I reckernizes that flag flyin' o'er yon place ashore. Ho lucky day, I knowed it, I could feel it in me clogs! There's me messmate of bygone seasons Badrang, built hisself a stone castle, pretty as you please. 'Ow many pore liddle slaves would yer say it took to work on a place like that, Crosstooth?"

One of Clogg's crew, a wicked-looking pirate fox draped in purple bandanas, scratched his chin. "Hmmm, I'd say lots, Cap'n."

"Lots an' crowds?"

"Aye, lots 'n' crowds," said Crosstooth.

"Which is most, Crosstooth, lots or crowds?"

"Why bless yer 'eart Cap'n, crowds, that means lots an' lots!"

"Haharrharr, well said, matey. Break out the weapons while I lays plans for a reunion party with me ole messmate Badrang!"

Clogg didn't know that Badrang was dead. At that very moment, two vermin were dragging his body out of Nightmare Fortress. Nightmare Moon had told them to let the body rot on the ground, for he did not deserve to be buried.

They tossed Badrang's corpse over a cliff, down to the shore below. Crouched behind a stony outcrop on the beach, Celestia, Rose, and Grumm watched it fall to earth.

"What is that?" Rose asked.

"It looks like the body of some creature," Celestia said. "The two that tossed it are leaving. Let's go see who it is."

They crept out and inspected. They saw a horrible sight. Badrang had a hole right through his middle that was oozing blood.

Grumm turned green. He felt his vegetable soup from yesterday coming up, but he swallowed it back down before he could vomit. "Bwurrgh! Oi never seed such an orful soight in all moi born days. Oi was going to make us some brekkist, but Oi don't feel loik eating no more. Ee mood bees gone offen Oi somehow."

Rose shuddered. "What sortof weapon has the strength to pierce right through a creature like that?"

"There's only one thing I know of that can make a shape like this," Celestia said, peering at the hole. "A unicorn horn."

"So he was killed by a unicorn? Maybe it was your sister!"

"Have you got any idea who this beast is?" Celestia asked.

"He's a stoat, so it's got to be Badrang," said Rose. "I've heard he doesn't trust other stoats and won't allow them into his fortress."

"If'n yore sister Luna killed Badrang, does that mean she'm safe now?" Grumm inquired.

"Well, I don't know," said Celestia. "Badrang might be dead, but there's still his horde to consider. We have no idea what's going on inside Marshank right now."

Just then they saw Clogg's ship, the _Seascarab,_ sailing toward the fortress.

"Pirates!" Rose cried. "We'd better get under cover." They hid behind the rocks again.

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"Untie us! Untie us!" Skalrag and Gurrad begged.

Martin and Brome glared at the two new creatures sharing their cell. "They must be spies that Badrang sent to eavesdrop on us," Martin said.

"Does that mean we can't talk about our escape plans in front of them?" Brome asked innocently. Martin put his paw up to his lips, but Skalrag and Gurrad had already heard.

"You got this all wrong, mate," Skalrag said. "We're prisoners now too, same as you, isn't that right, Gurrad?" The rat nodded.

"Why would Badrang put two of his own soldiers in the prison pit?" Martin demanded.

"It wasn't Badrang that put us in here," the fox said. "That horse creature we brought in yesterday, she killed Badrang. Now she's calling herself Nightmare Moon and she says she's in charge. She threw us in here to make an example of us."

"How do I know you're not lying?" Martin questioned.

"It's true!" Gurrad protested. "She put two of the slaves in our places, a vole and an otter!"

"Now I know you're lying," Martin said. "Nobeast would ever trust an otter to be a vermin guard."

"Well, this Nightmare Moon ain't from around here. I don't think she understands how things work," said Skalrag. "Believe me, if you're planning to escape, we're with you!"

"I think he might be telling the truth," Brome said tentatively.

"Yes I am. Listen to your little friend and untie us!"

Martin felt conflicted. The fox's tone sounded sincere, but then foxes were always liars.

"Tell you what I'll do," he said at last. "When the time comes for us to escape, we'll take you with us. But until then, I'm leaving you tied up so you can't try any funny business."

"I hate mice," Gurrad muttered under his breath.

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Surrounded by his savage ragtag crew, Captain Clogg strode into Nightmare Fortress. With a great clatter of clogs he hauled out his cutlass and roared playfully as he made a mock dash at Badrang's former soldiers. They drew back in alarm and Clogg winked roguishly at them.

"Haharr, caught yer nappin' there, maties. You've all gone soft playin' at bein' landlubbers. Ho there, Frogbit, Nipwort, an' you, Fleabane. Been a bit o' water passed under the keel since we sailed together. Yore lookin' plump an' prosperous these days. Where's Badrang? I want to talk to him."

"Badrang is dead," said Hisk.

"I don't believe you," Clogg sniggered. He had not seen Badrang's body because he landed at a different spot on the shore. "If he's dead, then why's his flag hanging up there?"

" _ **BECAUSE I HATH NOT HAD TIME TO REMOVE IT YET!"**_

Clogg looked over his shoulder. Nightmare Moon and Discord were striding across the courtyard toward him. Well, actually, Nightmare Moon was striding and Discord had turned to a liquid and was oozing along the ground just because he felt like it. When he reached Clogg, he became solid again and popped up and shook the stoat's paw.

"Well, well, burn me bilges if it ain't Cap'n Tramun Clogg. How are yer, ye ole wavedog?" he mimicked the stoat's corsair slang.

Clogg drew him into a hug and pounded Discord's back, grinning widely. "Discord, me messmate, stripe me but yore lookin' fit as a fish an' spry as a wasp. Oh, it is good for me ole eyes t'see ye agin, me 'earty. Now, who's this cove?"

" _ **I SHALL INTRODUCE MYSELF,"**_ Nightmare Moon thundered. _**"I AM NIGHTMARE MOON, THE NEW RULER OF THE EASTERN COAST."**_

"Well, you certainly think a lot of yourself, don't yer?" Clogg said sarcastically. "I thought I'd be dealing with Badrang, but I guess I can deal with you instead."

" _ **VERY WELL. COMETH TO MORE PRIVATE ENVIRONS."**_ Nightmare Moon led Clogg to Badrang's old office, which was now her office. Discord followed.

Clogg sat down in Badrang's old chair and put his feet on the table. He swigged some wine from a flask he had, sloshing it all over himself, and the table, and the chair, and the floor.

" _ **STOPETH THAT AT ONCE!"**_ Nightmare Moon commanded.

"And who are you, thinkin' you can tell me what to do?" Clogg said.

" _ **I HATH ALREADY TOLD THEE WHO I AM. I ART EMPRESS NIGHTMARE MOON. WHO ART THOU?"**_

"Ho, h'empress is it now, well ain't that pretty? My name is Cap'n Tramun Josiah Cuttlefish Clogg. Me and Badrang were old partners in crime. I recalls when we was last together, he left me stranded on a reef whilst he sailed off wid two score slaves, half of which was mine by rights."

" _ **THAT DOES SOUNDETH LIKE SOMETHING HE WOULD DO,"**_ said Nightmare Moon. _**"BUT WHAT CONCERN IS THAT OF MINE?"**_

Discord was listening, but he had become bored, and now he pulled off his own head and began juggling it between his hands.

The pirate's voice began to carry a menacing undertone. "I wants what's due ter me. I've come fer my share. Give me enough slaves to row my ship, the _Seascarab._ "

" _ **AND WHAT IF I DON'T?"**_

"An' wot if you don't? Why, then I'll just slit your gizzard an' take 'em. I'll use your skull as me figurehead an' feed the rest of you to the fishes."

Nightmare Moon stared into her enemy's eyes. _**"I KNOWETH NOT WHAT BADRANG WOULD HATH GIVEN THEE, BUT I OWE THEE NOTHING, SO THAT IS WHAT THOU WILT GET!"**_

She lowered her horn and charged at Clogg, but he drew his cutlass and swung at her. His steel clashed against her horn.

Discord chuckled. "This is starting to get interesting!"

Nightmare Moon and Clogg began dueling. They fought all over the room, knocking the furniture over. Eventually Clogg was facing the alicorn with his back to the window. That was the moment Nightmare Moon had been waiting for. She used her telekinesis, the power that unicorns and alicorns possess of moving things with their minds, to push him and send him flying out the window into the courtyard.

Clogg didn't die, because they were only on the first floor. He stood up with a wild roar.

Nightmare Moon flew at him and grabbed the stoat's plaited beard with her hoof. She lowered her horn dangerously close to his throat. _**"MAKE A MOVE AND THY CAPTAIN IS A DEADBEAST!"**_ she shouted to Clogg's crew.

Clogg held up a paw. "You win. I'll go peaceful like, back to me ship."

Nightmare Moon released him, and the pirates filed out of the fortress, but they didn't leave. They just sat in their ship, waiting.

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _What will Clogg do now? And can Martin and Broom trust the two vermin that have been but in there with them? Keep reddening to find out._


	5. Chapter 5

**RECRAP:** _Nightmare Moon has control of the fortress but Captain Clogg wants to take it away form her. Also, Celestina, Rose, and Grumm found Badrang's body and deduced that somebeast must have murdered him since he was read._

Celestia, Rose, and Grumm stood on the tideline, watching the _Seascarab_ as it bobbed up and down in the sea. Once Clogg's corsairs were all back on the boat, they had come out of hiding. They had thrown Badrang's body in the sea so he wouldn't be prey for the birds and the bats.

"Yurr Miz Rose, worr'm you surpose 'ee villyuns wanted?"

Rose tossed a pebble into the shallows. "I've no idea, Grumm, but whatever it was they didn't seem too happy leaving here."

"Something is going on that we don't understand," said Celestia. "First Luna apparently killed Badrang. Then those corsairs came in, and then they came back out again after only a few minutes. I think I need to fly over the fortress and take a look at what's happening in there."

"But what if the vermin see you?" Rose worried.

"I'll have to hope they don't. We need to know the true situation, and that means taking risks."

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That night, Keyla and Druwp, the slaves who had been promoted to soldiers, got to eat with the other guards for the first time, although they were served last.

"Er, er, stop that, you, y'can't shove me, I'm one of you now!" Druwp protested as Hisk pushed in front of him in the line.

Hisk laughed nastily. "You'll never be one of us. I'll shove yer forward an' sideways an' back'ards as well, you scummy little hairymouse!"

Still, Keyla and Druwp got a whole roast fish apiece, with some fine damson wine. The food had been prepared by slaves, of course. The hare called Joshy was serving the guards. He plopped a fish onto Keyla's plate.

"That does look nice," he said sadly. "Wish I could jolly well have some. All we slaves ever get are the blinkin' scraps." He had a special mask locked on his face so he couldn't eat any of the food himself.

Keyla joined Druwp and the others around the table. The fish tasted delicious, and since Keyla was an otter, that made him enjoy it even more, but he didn't forget about the slaves who weren't allowed to have any. Again, he vowed to himself that he would find a way to change the situation.

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Nightmare Moon was up on the walltop, basking in the darkness. She could hear the vampire bats screeching in the distance, which sounded to her like birds singing. Then she saw Celestia flying towards her.

"Luna! You're alive!" Celestia cried. "What's going on in there? Are you all right?"

" _ **WELL, THOU CERTAINLY TOOK THY TIME GETTING HERE, SISTER,"**_ Nightmare Moon said.

"Why are you talking in that silly Royal Voice?" asked Celestia.

Nightmare Moon laughed mirthlessly. _**"OF COURSE, YE WOULD CALLETH ANYTHING**_ _ **I**_ _ **CAME UP WITH SILLY."**_

"You used that voice to make me laugh when we were fillies. Why are you acting so strange, Luna?"

" _ **MY NAME IS PRINCESS LUNA NO LONGER, BUT**_ _ **NIGHTMARE MOON**_ , _**AND I AM THE NEW RULER OF THE EASTERN COASTS. SOON, I WILL RULETH THE WHOLE WORLD."**_

"Don't talk madness, sister," Celestia pleaded. "Come back to Equestria with me."

" _ **I KNEWETH THAT THE MOMENT I GOT MY HOOVES ON A BIT OF POWER, YE WOULD TRY TO TAKETH IT AWAY FROM ME,"**_ Nightmare Moon said. _**"YE WERE ALWAYS OBSESSED WITH BEING BETTER THAN ME. WHY, LAST NIGHT, YE EVEN MADE THE SUN COMETH UP EARLY, DEPRIVING ME OF MY HOURS OF DARKNESS."**_

"That was because I was trying to save our friend Martin," explained Celestia. "Why can't I make you understand? You're having delusions of grandeur."

" _ **I'M THROUGH ACCEPTING LIMITS CAUSE SOMEPONY SAYS THEY'RE SO!"**_ Nightmare Moon shouted. _**"YE WERE ALWAYS THE ONE THING STANDING BETWEEN ME AND MY HAPPY ENDING. GUARDS! COMETH HITHER!"**_

A bunch of hordebeasts came rushing up. One of them was Druwp.

" _ **DRIVETH THIS CREATURE AWAY!"**_ Nightmare Moon ordered.

The vermin all had bows and arrows with them. They started shooting at Celestia! She was able to dodge most of the arrows, but Druwp got her in the wing. Celestia plummeted to the ground like a stone, becoming lost to Nightmare Moon's sight.

" _ **LET THAT BE A LESSON TO YE, CELESTIA,"**_ Nightmare Moon said coldly. _**"I DOTH NOT WISHETH TO HURTETH THEE NEEDLESSLY, BUT IF YE EVER RETURNETH TO NIGHTMARE FORTRESS, I SHALL KILLETH THEE. THOU ART MY SISTER NO LONGER!"**_

 **TO BE CONTINUING:** _Is Celestica alive or dead? Find out necks chapter._ __


	6. Chapter 6

**RECAP:** _Last capture, Celestia tried to talk to her sister Luna, but the vole Droop shot her in the wing with a narrow._

Keyla made his way down to the prison pit to feed the captives. He had snuck a roasted fish from the kitchen. Whistling one of his favorite tunes, the otter peered down into the grating and called down, "Martin, are you all right in there?"

"I'm fine, Keyla," Martin called back. "What are you doing here?"

"I've come to give you your dinner," Keyla said. "I'm one of the guards now."

"What?"

"Yeah, didn't you hear? An alicorn called Nightmare Moon has killed Badrang and taken over this place. She threw Skalrag the fox and Gurrad the rat in the pit with you, and put me and Druwp in their places. I thought they would have told you that!"

"See?" Gurrad shouted. "We were telling the truth!"

"Anyway, here's a fish," Keyla said. "Sorry I couldn't get more than one, but you'll have to share it out between you." He squeezed the fish between the bars of the grating.

"Is there anything else I can do to help?" he asked.

"Actually, there is," Martin said. "We have some friends on the outside that are trying to break us out. If you could somehow get a message to them, that'd be great."

After Keyla had left, Skalrag yelled, "Now will you be a good little mousey and untie us?"

"How do I know you won't spring on us and kill us as soon as you get free?" Martin countered.

"That wouldn't be in our best interest," Skalrag said. "I know how I feel about you, mouse, and I guess you know how you feel about me, and neither one of us wouldn't ever pick the other to be the Marshal in the Grand Rose Parade, but we've got to work together to escape."

"I guess we do have a mutual need," said Martin.

"Mutual need is a strong bond," Skalrag agreed. "Stronger than friendship, stronger than love."

" _Do_ foxes love?" Brome asked.

"Oh, yes," the fox snickered. "We love ourselves very much."

"Figures," Martin muttered.

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Rose was binding Celestia's wing with some dock leaves, which she always carried about with her. "Who did this to you?" she asked.

"My own sister!" Celestia sobbed.

"What?"

"Luna was calling herself Nightmare Moon, and she said she was in charge of Marshank now. She was talking in a weird deep voice, and using horribly mangled Old English. I tried to reason with her, but she ordered the guards to shoot me. Oh, it hurts!"

"There, there," Rose soothed. "I'm trying to bind it up as best I can."

"Will you tell me about your home, Noonvale?" Celestia asked. "That might take my mind off the pain."

Rose obliged gladly. "Er, let me see, what sort of a place is Noonvale? Well, it's a deep glade far in the forests, a secret place, you might say. At dawn the sunlight comes filtering like golden dust through the oaks and sycamores and elms. It is quiet; you can almost hear the sounds of peace. Noonvale has never known war. Light blue smoke drifts up from the cookhouse fires, mingling with the green leaves above. Soft mosses and dark green grass carpet its slopes, and there are flowers- columbines, foxgloves, bluebells, wood anemones and ground ivy. Ferns grow there too. Sometimes I would lie among them at dawn, catching dewdrops on my tongue…" 

"Sounds like my kind of place. Maybe… I'll go there… someday." Celestia closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep.

Grumm held up a paw. "Do 'ee 'ear that, Roser? Somebeast a-singin'."

It was Keyla. Rose and Grumm listened to his song as it drifted over the walls to them.

"I know a mouse called Martin,

And a young un who's named Brome,

Captured by some vermin scouts

As he strayed from his home,

So if you're out there listening,

I'll pause awhile and wait,

For I've been singing half the night

On this side of the gate."

Rose almost wept for joy. She was answering in an instant, being both a good singer and balladeer. Grumm grunted softly as she hugged him tight with happiness, her clear voice ringing our plaintively on the night breeze.

"My name is Rose of Noonvale,

The tribe of Urran Voh,

My only brother is called Brome,

And Martin's name I know.

We're here so we can help them,

So please, friend, tell to me

What we can do to aid those two and try to set them free!"

Immediately a few lines rang out clear in reply.

"A vermin guard approaches.

Quick, get yourselves from sight.

I'll try to get back to you

This time tomorrow night!"

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The next morning, Felldoh was talking to Joshy again. "I always thought things would be better if Badrang was dead, but now they've gotten worse! And if Clogg gets control of us, it'll be worse still."

"The worst part of bein' a slave is never gettin' enough food to eat," Joshy said. "I'm so flippin' hungry all the time! You know what I wish I had? Some… fried chicken!"

Then… a whoooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooole bunch of fried chicken appeared on the ground!

"I say, how the flippin' 'eck did that happen?" Joshy wondered. He was a little scared, but not in the afraid way.

"You said fried chicken, and it suddenly appeared," said Felldoh.

"I know that already, I experienced it, wot?"

"Well, let's eat it before the vermin take it away from us!" Felldoh cried.

"Jolly good!" They fell upon the food.

"My, my, what an ingotyable meal," Joshy said a few minutes later, wiping the sides of his mouth on his ragged tunic. They had eaten a lot but there was still a lot left.

Hisk the weasel stuck his head out of the door. "Boy, what's that I smell?"

Joshy looked around all sneaky like and then he whispered "Fried chicken," and it went away. Hisk stepped out. "Is that food? Have you been stealing from the kitchens? A fish went missing last night."

"We don't have any food!" Felldoh snapped. "As a matter of fact, we were just talking about how we don't get enough to eat!"

"Don't be insolent," Hisk said, but he didn't do anything to Felldoh because he was scared of him. Instead he turned around and walked back inside.

Then Joshy whispered again, "Fried chicken," and then it appeared again!

Hisk leaned out the door again. "Now I _know_ I smell somethin'."

So then Joshy leaned over and whispered "Fried chicken," again and it went away. He got up and said to Hisk, "Look, fella. I ain't got nothin'!"

"Okay," said Hisk and he left.

Then Felldoh tried summoning fried chicken, to no effect. "Whatever this is, it only works for you. You must have a special power."

"That's crazy, wot! I don't have any powers. I'm just an ordinary hare who happens to be well off in certain areas."

He pointed his finger at the ground and said "Fried chicken," again. And there it was. A big old bunch of fried chicken at his footpaws.

All of a sudden Druwp jumped out from behind a pile of bricks.

"OMG Joshy you're not supposed to be doing magic!" he screamed. And he ran to tell Nightmare Moon.

" _ **I TOLD THEE THAT THOU WERT NOT ALLOWED TO USETH MAGIC,"**_ Nightmare Moon said. _**"THE ONLY ONES THAT CAN DO MAGIC IN NIGHTMARE FORTRESS ARE MYSELF AND DISCORD."**_

Then Nightmare Moon grabbed Joshy and threw him across the room. He hit the wall and passed out.

When Joshy came to he was in the prison pit with Martin, Brome, Gurrad, and Skalrag. "Welcome to the party, pal," said Skalrag sarcastically.

Gurrad ground his teeth. "Another animal! As if it wasn't already crowded enough in here."

"Don't be mean to him," Brome admonished. "It's not his fault he's in here."

"Wisdom from the mouths of babes, wot. Allow me to introduce myself to you chaps. My name is William David Truman Joshua Stag Hare. But you can call me Joshy, wot wot!"

"I've met you before!" Martin exclaimed.

"I know, you stopped Hisk from whippin' me the other day."

"No, I met you before we ever came to Marshank," Martin said. "You came to my town once."

"Well, I suppose that's possible," said Joshy. "Maybe you saw me an' I didn't see you."

"You definitely saw me. You were with a badger and a unicorn and a Pegasus pony."

"Steady on there. I ain't got nothin' against 'em, but I've never knocked about with a unicorn an' Pegasus in my bally life."

"Don't you remember?" Martin pressed. "I saved you from an evil ferret that was trying to kill you. Then you disappeared. You're some kind of wizard, right?"

Joshy laughed. "You're tellin' chinnies. I'm not a flippin' wizard, wot wot!" But then he remembered how he had summoned the fried chicken. Maybe he was a wizard after all?

"It doesn't feel good to tell the truth and have somebeast not believe you, does it?" Skalrag taunted Martin. "At least he's not tying you up."

"Look, I can only say I'm sorry so many times," Martin said.

"Funny, I don't remember you saying sorry even once."

 **TO BE CONTAINED:** _Will Martin and Scalar even become friends? Is the fox ghosting to become a good guy? How will hey escape the prism? Keep reading to fiend out._


	7. Chapter 7

**RECAP:** _Lass chapter, Joshy Stage Hare discovered that he had magical powers. He was thrown into the pit with Martin and the rest. Bot Kayla the otter is on there side and he is sending messages to Rose and Celesta outside._

"So, have you come up with any bright ideas to get us out of here, mouse?" Skalrag asked.

Martin was carefully holding his temper with both paws. He was fed up with the fox's ribbing. "I don't hear you suggesting anything either, fox!"

"I say, our situation is bad enough without fightin', eh wot?" said Joshy.

"Why don't we stand on each other's backs and climb out?" suggested Brome.

"And who'd be on the bottom? Me, I suppose," Skalrag sneered.

Martin smiled sadly at the younger mouse. "It sounds like a good idea, Brome, but even if we could get out of the pit that way, how would we escape the fortress?"

"Hang on a tick!" exclaimed Joshy. "You said you had a friend outside who was a mole, didn't you? He can dig us out!"

"That's perfect!" Martin cried.

Even Skalrag liked the plan. "We can get the waterdog to send them a message."

"I don't think otters like being called dogs," said Brome.

The fox's bad mood returned immediately. "I can call them whatever I want!"

Just then, Keyla came by. "How's it going in there?"

"We have a plan to escape," Martin said. "Can you talk to our friends outside? We need Grumm, the mole, to dig a tunnel for us."

"I don't know. It's going to be difficult. Nightmare Moon has started posting guards on the walltops now. I've half a mind to come down there and run you through with my spear!"

"What?" Martin cried.

The reason why Keyla had said that last thing was because two rats named Frogbit and Nipwort had come along.

"Hey you, what are you doing?" Frogbit demanded.

Keyla was a natural actor. "Oh, I'm just yelling stuff at those prisoners in there. I love being a guard. I finally have some power over other creatures."

The rats grinned. "You know, maybe you're not so bad after all, waterdog," said Nipwort.

"I want to taunt the prisoners too!" yelled Frogbit. "You can all stay down there until you die and rot!"

"I'll come down there an' kick yer tails until they're blue!" shouted Nipwort.

Keyla shook his head. "You're never going to believe this, but they were actually trying to convince me to let them out of the pit." He leaned down to the grate, putting an emphasis on certain words. "They said they were SICK and they had FEVER."

Martin and his companions looked at each other, mystified. They couldn't see what the otter was getting at. "Fever? I ain't got no fever!" Gurrad yelled.

"Listen," Keyla whispered, "They can't stop sick creatures shouting out feverishly. If Rose is outside she'll hear you."

Now Brome understood. "Help us, there's fever down here!" he howled.

The others caught on too.

"Help, help, we're dying of fever!"

"What's the matter, can't you hear us?"

"This place is a flippin' plague hole! I'm not insured, wot!"

Even Gurrad covered for his mistake. "You got to let me out before I catch what they got! You can't keep me locked up in here! It's murder, that's what it is, cold-blooded murder!"

Frogbit shuddered. "Fat chance. You're our mate, Gurrad, but we ain't goin' down there an' catchin' a sickness."

Nipwort was in complete agreement. "You can yell an' holler all you want. I'm not puttin' a paw anywhere near you."

"Oh please, sir," Brome howled back louder than ever. "Kick us, beat us, but come down and see us. We're dying slowly of fever. Come down and see for yourself!"

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"How's your wing?" Rose asked.

"It doesn't hurt anymore, but I doubt I'll be flying for a while," said Celestia. "What really hurts is knowing Luna is the one who did this to me. I can't understand it. It's not like her at all."

Then they heard a big loud noise from inside Nightmare Fortress. "Who is that screaming?" Celestia wondered.

Surprisingly, Rose started to giggle. "That's my little brother. He used to scream and shout like that back home until Mama let him have his own way."

"Yurr, Oi amembers miz," said Grumm. "Oi used t'plug moi ole ears oop wi' grass. If'n yon choild 'as fever wi' a voice loik that, oi be a taddypole!"

"He must be trying to send a message to us," said Celestia.

Rose held her throat, and throwing back her head she gave the eagle call to let Brome know she had heard.

Grumm winced and covered both ears. "Moi moi, wot a fambily fur noisenin'. Maister Brome'll know fur sure us'ns kin 'ear 'im naow, miz."

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The eagle screech rent the air again. Brome clapped his hands joyfully. "That's my sister Rose all right. She can screech as good as any eagle."

Martin patted Brome heartily on the back. "Great work, young un. Rose can hear us! Right, get ready to send her the message."

Nipwort shook his spear at Keyla. "You started all this, otter. Listen, they've even upset that eagle bird now. Get away from there, go on! Go back to your post."

Keyla knew his job was done. Martin and his friends could send their own messages to the outside. The young otter trotted off grinning happily as the two guards argued away.

"I'm not putting up with this row."

"Oh no, then go down there an' shut them up."

"Me? Huh, I'm stayin' right up 'ere, mate!"

"An' so am I, mate. We'll just 'ave to ignore the noise."

"Ignore the noise! Are you jokin'? Lissen to that!"

"Roseyrosey rosey, Grummgrumm grumm! Lissenamee lissenamee!"

The eagle screech sounded again. Rose and Grumm were listening.

Nipwort and Frogbit plugged their ears with the screwed up corners of their ragged cloaks.

Brome sent the message in fine howling style.

"In the middle of the gate set your faces.

Oh, I'm dyin' of the fever!

Walk to the south about twenty paces.

It's a terrible thing this fever!

There are five of us in this awful pit.

The fever, the fever!

As deep as three mice and a bit.

I'm goin' to die of fever!

We need the claws of a good old chum.

The fever, the fever!

I know that you can do it, Grumm,

Don't let me die of fever!"

There was a moment's silence, then the call of the eagle screeched out three times. Rose had received the message.

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She had written it all down on a rock with a piece of sea coal. She read the instructions carefully to Grumm.

"Face the center of the gates, walk twenty paces to the south. Brome says there's five of them in a pit that is as deep as three and a bit mice."

"Who are the other three?" said Celestia. "I thought only Martin and Brome were in prison."

"I guess we'll find out when we've rescued them," said Rose. "So if we, or should I say you, Grumm, dig down twice my height then straight tunnel from the twenty pace mark, sooner or later you'll break into the pit at about head height. Can you do it, Grumm?"

The mole winked as he flexed his huge digging claws. "Can Oi do et, miz? Can burds floiy in sky, can fishers swim in 'ee seas? Hurr hurr, 'twould be easier'n eatin' yore mama's li'l apple puddens!"

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Will Gramm be able to dig them out? And what is Cloggy up to? Find out next Tim._


	8. Chapter 8

**REAP:** _Grimm the mole is going to dig Martin and his fiends out of the person. Mean whale, Capone Clogg planes to attack Nightmare Fortress with his crew._

Nightmare Moon nodded across the table at Discord. _**"MAKETH THY REPORT."**_

Discord began. "Empress, there are no signs of Clogg or your sister. The sentries are keeping a sharp eye out night and day."

" _ **UGH, DON'T EVEN SAITH THAT WORD TO ME,"**_ groaned Nightmare Moon. _**"WELL, IS THAT ALL?"**_

"One more thing. The prisoners in the hole have some sort of sickness. It may be fever."

Nightmare Moon scowled down at the wine stained surface of the table. The liquid Clogg spilled had never come out, no matter how hard the slaves scrubbed it. _**"FEVER, EH? PITY, I WAS GOING TO HAVETH SOME FUN WITH THAT FOX, AND THE HARE WHO THINKETH HE CAN GETTETH AWAY WITH DOING MAGIC. STILL, FEVER IS A GOOD ENOUGH LESSON TO THE SLAVES. THROW THE WRONGDOERS IN THE PIT WHERE THEY'LL CATCHETH THE FEVER. WHAT A CLEVER IDEA, SLAVES GETTING FEVER FROM SLAVES. THEY CAN'T BLAMETH US FOR THAT, EH DISCORD? EVIL LAUGH!"**_

"Evil laugh," Discord agreed. To himself he said, "Gullible foal, thinking she's the one in charge."

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Grumm backed out of the hole he had made, pushing a mound of earth before him. Rose and Celestia cleared it away, helping the mole out into the late afternoon sun.

"You seem to be making good progress, Grumm," Celestia said.

Rattling his digging claws against the rock to clean off all the loose sandy soil, the mole blinked his eyes against the sunlight.

"That Oi be, miz, hurr aye. Hurr hurr, et won't be long, C'lester. Afore midnoight, Oi'd reckern."

Rose wriggled excitedly. "Midnight! Wonderful. It should be fairly easy to get clear of Marshank under cover of darkness."

"I'm not so sure about that," Celestia said. "My sister thrives in darkness."

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Grumm worked all afternoon and into the night, but the prisoners he was trying to free had no way of knowing what he was up to. By nightfall, Brome's initial euphoria of contact with the outside had faded and he was getting depressed. He began to speculate miserably.

"Suppose they get caught outside the fortress, where will we be then?"

Joshy tried reasoning with him. "Don't be silly, Brome. Your sister an' that mole aren't daft, they know what they're doin'."

The youngster was silent awhile until Gurrad piped up, "They might have the directions wrong."

That started Brome off again. "Suppose Grumm tunnels the wrong way? He could have missed this place by a few lengths! Just think of it, poor old Grumm, digging and digging and getting nowhere while we sit here twiddling our paws!"

Martin gave Brome a light thump on the back. "Here now, what's all this gloom an' doom for, young feller? I'd expect to hear it from Gurrad, but not from you. You've already told us that Grumm is the champion digger in all the country. Well, let me tell you, moles are among the most sensible beasts over or under land. If your friend Grumm is a champion digger, why, I'd trust him with my life any day."

"An' so would I, wot wot!"

Skalrag began kicking the side of the pit wall. Brome squinted at him in the darkness. "What are you doing?"

"Giving your mole friend a little help and guidance. He's probably very sensitive to underground noises."

"That's a good idea, Skalrag," said Martin, surprised that the fox had actually found something constructive to do. "I'll do it too." They all joined in, thumping away at the wall with their paws.

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A silver of moon appeared, like a slice of lemon rind suspended in the soft star-strewn darkness. The tide was at full flood, without a wind to drive it. Small silver tipped waves lapped shyly on the shore, gradually devouring the coastland up to the tideline. Little sound was heard, save for the muffled splash of muted oars and the hoarse muttered curses of Captain Tramun Clogg as he urged the four longboats through the dark waters.

"C'mon, bend yer backs, ye bottle nosed bandits. Yer might've broken yer mothers' 'earts but ye won't break mine. Pull, me bullies, pull!"

Clogg's ship was beached around a point south of the headland. The wily stoat was planning a surprise attack on Nightmare Fortress. The corsairs rowed steadily as Clogg kept watch.

"Harr, there 'tis, me buckos. Nightmare Fortress! It'll really look like a nightmare when I'm done with it. Oilback, Wetpaw, keep those ropes an' grapplin' 'ooks close by. I'll give that meddling mare a night to remember. 'Ere, but wot am I talkin' about? Deadbeasts don't 'ave no memory, an' that's what 'igh 'n' mighty Nightmare Moon will be when I lays sword to her. Dead!"

The four boats pressed on through the night waters, laden with hardened ruffians all armed to the teeth with bows, arrows, pikes, spears, daggers, slings, and a variety of swords.

 **TO BEE CONTINUED:** _It looks like theirs a battle brewing between Clog's coursers and Nightmare Forest. Maybe Martian and them can use this commotion as cover for escape._


	9. Chapter 9

**RECAP:** _Clogg is lunching an attack on Night Mayor Fortress and Grump has nearly completed his escape tunnel._

Lumpback and Stiffear were on the walltop keeping guard. The two weasels lounged against the timber posts. Lumpback was not in the best of moods. He prodded Stiffear with his spear.

"Stop drummin' yer paws. It's gettin' on me nerves!"

Stiffear had been half asleep. He grabbed his spear, bristling. "I'm not drummin' me paws, slobberchops. Look, they're still!"

"Watch who you're callin' slobberchops, you. Something's drummin'. Can't yer 'ear it, like a sorta soft tapping noise?"

"No I can't, an' if you prod me once more with that spear I'll shove it up yer snout. Huh, drummin' noises. It's prob'ly yore tiny brain drummin' round in yer thick skull!"

They jabbed their spears at each other and snarled a bit before going back to watching the sea.

"I can 'ear it, drummin' away," Lumpback started muttering again, "Only softlike, but I know I can 'ear it. Stiffy, see that rock out there on the shore, the one yonder- I could swear I saw a pile of sand bein' chucked up in the air above it!"

"First drummin', now it's piles o' sand!" Stiffear blew a long sigh of impatience. "Wot's the matter with you, toad brains? Did you eat some bad fish for yer dinner?"

Lumpback pointed with his spear. "Hah, there! I saw it again, like sand bein' tossed up in the air, right above that rock, see!"

Stiffear stared hard at Lumpback, shaking his head pityingly. "That's the crabs 'avin' a dance. They do it every few nights y'know, kickin' the sand up with their liddle claws an' jiggin' away like billy-oh."

"Don't talk rubbish!" Lumpback curled his lip in a sneer.

Stiffear lost his temper then. "Yore the one talkin' rubbish, y'fool! Next thing, I suppose you'll be seein' the shore swarmin' with corsairs… Garrgh!" He fell forward with a long barbed arrow protruding from his neck.

Lumpback screamed as the dark shapes hurried toward the fortress walls.

"Attack! Attaaaaaaack!"

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Martin and the others continued kicking the wall. They were getting tired. "Maybe you were right, old chap," Joshy said to Brome. "Maybe your mole friend has tunneled in the wrong direction." He was so tired he didn't even say "wot wot."

But then somebeast kicked back from the other side. "Bo urr, zurrs. 'Old 'ard, 'tis Oi, Grumm! Oi dunno if Oi can keep this oop anymore."

"Grumm!" Brome cried. "You don't know how glad I am to see you!"

But they hadn't actually seen him yet. A few feet of dirt remained between them. Grumm was scraping wearily at the soil, but he was exhausted too. "Some'ow Oi just carn't get through."

Suddenly Skalrag's frustration boiled over. With a wild cry, he pushed Martin and Brome aside and dove at the wall, taking over where Grumm had left off. "Step aside! I see what he's doin'! We're not going to die down here!"

Foxes aren't as good at digging as moles, but they can dig well enough, and Skalrag was able to finish the job, plowing through the last couple of feet of dirt like lightning.

Abruptly a pair of red paws shot through the wall and Grumm found himself face to face with a murderous looking fox! "Bo urr, seasons preserve Oi!"

Martin poked his head into the hole next to Skalrag's. "It's okay, Grumm. This fox is a prisoner along with us. We agreed to help him escape. There's a rat in here too, and a hare called Joshy."

Grumm wrinkled his nose. "All roight. You uns best get along naow. Oi'll bide yurr awhoil an' patch up yon 'ole so's nobeast be a-knowin' 'ow you'm excaped. Hurr hurr, 'twill give that Noightmurr Moan sumthen to puzzle o'er, a hempty pit wi' no marks o' breakout, hurr hurr."

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Druwp ran into Nightmare Moon's office with a panicked squeak.

"Empress, it's Clogg an' his corsairs. They're attackin'!"

The alicorn pushed the frightened vole to one side. _**"OF COURSE HE IS, ADDLEBRAIN. I WOULD'ST NOT EXPECTETH HIM TO DO ANYTHING ELSE. ARE THE HORDE POSITIONED ON THE WALLS?"**_

"Aye, they were up as soon as the guard shouted a warning."

Nightmare Moon glanced at the wine stained tabletop, a visible reminder of her hatred for Clogg. _**"GOOD. I'LL BE AT THE MAIN GATE. SENDETH DISCORD TO ME RIGHT AWAY!"**_

Moments later Discord came down from the walltop, but he was taking his time. He had turned himself into a turtle for some reason, and he was moving as slow as one.

Nightmare Moon stomped her hoof impatiently. _**"HURRY THOU UP!"**_

Discord resumed his normal form and appeared at her side. "They're pressing hard, but we're holding 'em off!"

" _ **WHERE'S CLOGG'S SHIP? ON THE TIDELINE OR IN THE BAY?"**_ Nightmare Moon yelled to Discord above the clash of battle sound.

"There's no sign of it, your highness. They came in longboats."

Nightmare Moon pondered a short moment then rapped out orders. _**"THE SHIP IS PROBABLY BEACHED OR ANCHORED ROUND THE OTHER SIDE OF THE HEADLAND. RIGHT, LISTEN HARD NOW, DISCORD. FIND THAT SHIP AND DESTROY IT. LEAVE OVER THE BACK WALL WHILE THE THICK OF THE FIGHTING'S AT THE FRONT. GO, AND DON'T FAILETH ME!"**_

As Discord hurried to do her bidding, Nightmare Moon flew up to the walltop and joined the melee.

Arrows whistled through the night from both sides. Clogg was trying to keep up heavy volleys of shafts and slingstones to make the defenders keep their heads down. Nightmare Moon seemed to be everywhere at once, blasting corsairs with her horn from above and roaring orders.

" _ **DON'T LETETH THE GRAPPLERS GETETH AHOLD, SLASHETH THE ROPES! PUSHETH THAT SIEGE LADDER OVER! HISK, GETETH TO THE NORTH CORNER, USETH THE BIG SPEARS AND LONG PIKES TO STABETH DOWNWARD! YE THERE, TAKETH FOUR MORE AND GETETH DOWN INTO THE COURTYARD. REINFORCETH THE GATES WITH ANYTHING- ROCKS, TIMBER, SAND- ANYTHING THOU CANST LAY THY PAWS UPON!"**_

Captain Tramun Clogg howled aloud at his archers and sling throwers as he awaited the upside-down longboat that was being trundled over the beach towards him.

"Give 'em blood an' broken bones, ye black-livered flotsam! Growch, keep those arrows a-flyin' an' make every one count! Haharr, Nightmare Moon, I'll soon be wearin' yer guts fer garters! Bring that longboat t'me, 'earties. We'll knock on Nightmare Moon's door, haharrharr!"

The longboat's keel was plaited with a heavy sheath of copper that culminated in a lump at its prow. Upside down, it made a battering ram. Twenty or more vermin stood underneath the boat, using it as an umbrella against missiles from the walltop. Tramun Clogg joined them, heading the operation, roaring orders gleefully.

"Straight ahead as she goes, buckos. Pound that ole door to splinters, mates. Charge!"

Paws grasped the underside of the craft tightly as thick copper plate met door timber with a splintering crash. Paws a-tingle from the reverberation, they hoisted the boast aloft under Clogg's triumphant commands.

"Hoho, cullies. Back 'er off an' let's do it again! Gruzzle, Dedjaw, Floater! Up front 'ere with me. 'Arf a dozen whacks like that'n an' we can use yonder gates for toothpicks at our victory feast! Nothin' can stop wavebeasts such as us mates. Chaaaaaarge!"

The battle raged on into the night, its infernal din of roaring clangor overriding the hiss and swell of the restless sea.

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They crawled on all fours through the darkness, Skalrag's tail touching the tunnel top and brushing down a light drift of sand. Closing their eyes, they pushed forward in the eerie underground silence, their bodies quivering with the anticipation of freedom. It was the battle noise and a soft breeze tickling his whiskers that told Skalrag they had made it. He sneezed and rubbed fine sand from his eyes as he climbed out of the tunnel into the night air.

Rose and Celestia were waiting out there. They tensed up when they saw the fox. "Who are you?" Celestia asked. "Aren't you one of Badrang's soldiers?"

"Not anymore," Skalrag said.

Before they could press him further, Martin appeared, pulling himself out. He was followed by Joshy, Gurrad, and Brome.

Rose ran over to her brother and enveloped him in a hug. "Brome! Are you all right? Is Grumm with you?"

"He'll be along shortly when he's blocked off the hole. Oh, I'm so glad to see you, Rosie!"

Celestia watched sadly, thinking of how she and her own sister were separated.

Martin coughed out a mouthful of sand. "Phwah! I've swallowed so much I'll be spitting it all season."

"Here, wash it out with some cold mint tea."

Martin rubbed dust from his eyes and stared at the mousemaid as he accepted the canteen of liquid. He was thunderstruck.

"You must be Martin."

He stared silently into the most gentle hazel eyes that ever reflected starlight, lost for words as a quiet smile spread over the mousemaid's serene features.

"Drink up, Martin. Your friends are waiting their turn."

He took a quick mouthful, suddenly finding his voice as he did. "Yurn b'rosty nose!"

"I beg your pardon?" Her laughter was like a summer breeze among bluebells.

Martin took another gulp and cleared his throat. "Sorry. You must be Rose."

Joshy grinned as he grabbed the canteen from his friend's faltering paws.

"Aye, she is. Remember me? I'm Joshy Stag Hare, your name's Martin, an' this beast whose head you're standin' on is our rescuer Grumm."

Martin hastily shifted his footpaw, mumbling an apology as the mole levered himself from the tunnel.

"Who are these other two, the fox and the rat?" Celestia asked.

Brome explained. "They're two of Badrang's former guards that Nightmare Moon decided to throw in prison. We agreed to let them escape with us."

"Would you mind not calling her Nightmare Moon?" said Celestia. "You see, she's my sister, and I know her as Princess Luna."

"Sure. No problem," said Brome. He always called others what they preferred to be called.

Grumm said, "Hurr, et be gurt 'n' noisy out 'ere wi' they vurmin a-killin' each other o'er yonder."

"We definitely picked the right night to escape," Skalrag said. "While they're all distracted fighting each other, we can get away."

Celestia bristled slightly. "I cannot leave. I'm the only one that can bring my sister under control."

"And I wouldn't feel right escaping myself, when there are so many other slaves that need to be freed, like my friend Felldoh," said Martin.

Rose gripped Martin's paw. "Listen, Martin, I'm with you. One day we'll free all the slaves from the Shank, but right now we're too few to stand against a vermin horde. I say we should go back to my town, Noonvale. My father's the mayor. He generally goes his own way, but I'm sure I can convince him to ask his tribe to help us."

But Celestia did not agree.

"I think we should go to my home instead, in Equestria."

"Why do you say that?" Rose asked.

"You said your tribe had never known war. I don't mean to be rude, but I don't think creatures like that would be much use in a battle."

Rose nodded. "You might be right."

"In Equestria, there are strong earth ponies, tough Pegasus ponies, and magical unicorns. They are loyal to me and will do anything I ask. Also, if we go to Equestria, I can get the Elements of Harmony."

"What are those?" Brome asked.

"It'll take too long to explain right now, but I may be able to use them on my sister and bring her back to herself," Celestia said. "What do you think, Martin?"

There was a moment's silence, then Martin nodded. "I'm with you. If we can raise an army in Equestria, that's the place to go!"

"I don't care where we go!" Skalrag cried. "I just want to get out of here!"

And so they ran off into the night.

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Will they make it out alive? Is Night Moon Mare ably to defeat Dogg? Find out necks time._


	10. Chapter 10

**RECAP:** _Celestia and Rose have finally fried Martin from prison and now the are going to Equestrian to raze an army of ponies to defeat Nightmare Moon and free the rest off the slaves. Also, Nightmare Moon has ordered Discord to destroy Glogg's sheep._

Discord stood ankle deep in the water, staring up at the _Seascarab._ "This ship is beautifully crafted. It's a shame to have to destroy it… Psych! I don't care." He chortled with glee. Then he snapped his fingers and a ball of fire appeared, floating just above his outstretched hand. Discord tossed the fireball at the ship, and it went up in flames.

He clapped his hands together, brushing off the ash. "There's one ship that won't put out to sea again." Then he saw the longboats. That gave him another idea.

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With his cutlass, Clogg struck the side of the boat his crew was using as a battering ram. "Wot's the matter, yer lily-livered sea scum? Weary already? Come on now, 'earties, up on yer paws an' give it one more go. She's splinterin', I tell yer. Why, a couple more bangs an' we'll be through inter the fortress!"

There was a knocking on the outside of the boat.

"Cap'n, it's Wetpaw. Come quick an' take a look out 'ere!"

The boat was lifted and Clogg poked his head from underneath. "Lookit wot, mate?"

The ferret pointed to reddy-orange glow illuminating the sky beyond the headland. It took a moment for realization to sink in, then the pirate stoat let out an agonized wail and began tearing at his braided beard, the clumsy wooden clogs clicking together as he performed an anguished jig on the shore.

"Whaaaagh! The slime coated villain's burnin' me ship! Yarrggh! Me luverly _Seascarab,_ pride o' me 'eart! Nightmare Moon, yer rotten foul-nosed worm, stinkin' screw-tailed sorrel, warp-eyed snotty-snouted shark! I'll rip yer horn and wings off an' feed 'em to the crabs. I'll cut off yer 'ead an' throw it in yer face. I'll string up yer tripes fer riggin'. I'll pickle yer tail in burnin' brine. I'll… I'll… Yaaahaaagh!"

The _Seascarab_ was settling down in flames on the shallow bay bed, and timbers crackled as blazing pitch bubbled from seams. With its great green sail burned away, the mast stood like a fiery beacon against the star-studded night. It cracked and broke, falling in an avalanche of sparks. The vessel heeled over, listing at a crazy angle as sea water met flames with a loud steaming hiss.

Right now Martin and his friends were running toward the burning ship, hoping to steal one of the longboats and sail further up the coast, where they would leave the boat and travel to Equestria for help. They heard the vampire bats screeching in the distance but they were too far away to worry about.

"I'm glad that ship is burning so that nobeast can ever witness its evil again," said Martin.

"How do you suppose it caught on fire?" Brome wondered.

"How the deuce should I know?" said Joshy. "I mean, maybe old Cloggy left a few searats behind to guard the ship an' they were smokin' an' dropped a cigarette an'…"

"No, that wasn't it," said Celestia. "Look, there's somebeast wading in the water over there. Someone must have set this fire deliberately."

"Well, we'd better hurry," said Gurrad. "Those searats will be coming for the longboats to see if they can save their shi…" All of a sudden, an arrow hit him in the throat and he died.

The others turned to see two figures racing toward them. It was two rats from Clogg's crew, Rika and Benry, who were married to each other. They had spotted the activity on the shore. Benry had a bow and arrow. He was the one who had shot Gurrad. "That must be one of Nightmare Moon's lot, tryin' to steal our boats!" he yelled to his wife.

Benry raised his bow again, taking aim at the beast nearest to him, who happened to be Joshy Stag Hare. Joshy saw death staring him in the face. "NOOOO! I never even got the chance to be some drunken college beast's last resort!" he hollered. Suddenly, a beam of white light shot out of his paw and vaporized Benry. There was nothing left of the rat but his clothes.

Joshy stood stunned, unable to process what had just happened. Rika came running up to him. "You killed my 'usband, you freak!" She hurled a knife at the hare. Joshy put up his paws, trying to shield himself, but when he held his paws up, the knife abruptly switched direction in midair and flew back at Rika, stabbing her right in the heart.

"No! I'm sorry!" Joshy cried. He tried to pull the knife out of Rika's chest, but that only made her bleed more. Soon the ratwife had choked to death on her own blood.

Skalrag grabbed Joshy by the arm. "Come on, long ears. Move yourself! We've got to get out of here before more corsairs come!"

They all ran to the longboats, but Discord was already there, doing something to the boats. They couldn't tell what.

"Well, well. Princess Luna's older sister. I wondered when I'd be meeting you," Discord said to Celestia. "From warrior princess to wounded dove in just a few short days. Tsk, tsk."

Celestia stared at him in horror. She had never met him in person before, but she knew about him from reading ancient scrolls. "Oh my gosh. It was you. You're the one who made Luna evil… Discord!"

But Discord ignored her; he had already turned his attention to Martin. "Martin the Warrior. I didn't expect you to escape so soon. Your father would be proud."

"What are you talkin' about?" Martin cried. "How do you know my father?"

"If you're going to fight us, let's get it over with!" Celestia snapped.

Discord chuckled. "Oh no. I'm not going to fight you. I'm gonna let you get away. That will make things so much more… interesting! By the way, I recommend that you take this boat." He patted the boat he was standing in. Then he disappeared in a cloud of smoke, teleporting back to Nightmare Fortress.

Clogg and the rest of his corsairs came into view, running down to the shore. They had abandoned the battle and were now trying to save their boats.

"Burr, 'asten, zurrs! Into 'ee boat!" Grumm whispered urgently.

They all scrambled into the boat Discord had just vacated, but Celestia was having a hard time because she was the heaviest. Clogg floundered forward and seized her back hooves. From the boat, Martin and Rose managed to grab her front hooves, and a tug of war began. Celestia was stretched between water and boat, helpless, her mouth filled with salt water.

Unexpectedly, it was Skalrag who came to the rescue, wielding an oar.

Thonk!

He stunned the stoat with a direct hit over the head. The mice heaved mightily and Celestia came tumbling into the boat.

"Row!" Martin cried out to his friends. "Paddle with your paws! Anything! Hurry. They're coming after us!"

Clogg shouted something similar to his crew, only with a lot more curses.

Martin and his friends began rowing away, with the pirates rowing after them in the other boats. Grumm sat in the stern, not moving. Rose looked at him curiously.

"Come on, Grumm. Paddle, don't just sit there."

The mole shrugged unhappily. "Oi carn't move, mizzy. Iffen Oi do, us'll sink. Oi be settin' roight on a gurt 'ole in 'ee boat!"

The mole sat, completely soaked, blocking the hole as best he could, with water swilling around the bottom of the boat.

Brome started to laugh. Celestia eyed him disapprovingly.

"I can't see much to laugh about. It's not a very funny situation we're in."

Brome held his sides as he tried to paddle and stop laughing at the same time. "Whooheehee! I'm sorry, Princess, can't help it, heeheehee! Oh dearie me! Look at those creatures, hahahahahaha!"

The two boats loaded with corsairs that were following were only going one way. Down!

Rose joined in with Brome's laughter. "Of course, that's what Discord was doing, holing the boats after he'd set fire to the big ship. Lucky old us, we picked the one with the smallest hole in it!"

Everybeast joined in laughing then, except for Joshy, who was still shell-shocked from killing Rika and Benry.

 **TOO BE CONTAINED:** _Just were did Joshy get his magical power anyway? Keep reading the sorry to discover the answer._


	11. Chapter 11

**RECAP:** _Gurrad is deadened, but the rest of the prisoners have escaped along with Celestin, Rose and Grump. Also, Discord shipped Clog's sink._

"Congratulations, rabbit," said Skalrag. "You're a natural born killer. Who would have thought it?"

Joshy didn't answer.

"Are you all right, old lad?" Martin asked.

The hare sat on the edge of the boat, his head in both paws, shaking and weeping uncontrollably. "No, I'm not all right, sah. I'm a bloody murderer, no better than Badrang! I've slain two creatures."

"At least you're not dead," Martin consoled him.

"The way I feel right now, I don't know if I want to go on living!"

Martin said, "I don't like to kill either, but sometimes I have to, to defend myself and others. If you hadn't killed those two rats, they would have killed you. I'm sure whoever your parents are, they'd be proud of you."

"It still wasn't pretty, though," said Rose. "I know how Joshy feels."

"An' I don't understand where my magic is comin' from either," Joshy sniffed. "I was gettin' used to the idea of bein' able to summon food whenever I wanted it, but now I just used magic to kill, an' I didn't even really mean t'do it. I don't know how to control my powers!"

"I had a problem with control when I first started developing my magic," said Princess Celestia. "It just takes time and perseverance. Luckily, I had a fantastic teacher, an old unicorn named Star Swirl the Bearded. He was able to give me some insight into my powers."

Joshy wiped away his tears. "D'you think he could help me too, wot wot?"

Celestia lowered her head. "I'm afraid not. He died just a few seasons ago. But maybe I could help you."

"Right now we need to focus on keeping the water out of this boat so we don't sink!" said Skalrag. He was the only one baling at the moment. The others had gotten distracted.

"Oh my goodness, you're right," said Celestia. She cupped a handful of water between her hooves and tossed it out. "You know, I never did thank you for giving Captain Clogg that whack on the head so I could get away from him."

"And he was a big help in the tunnel, too, digging through those last few feet of dirt when Grumm got too tired to finish," said Brome. "He might have a mole ancestor in his family."

Skalrag showed a small smile, but he tried to hide it. "Just remember, I didn't do any of those things because I like you fellows. I did it for myself. By helping you escape, I was helping myself escape, too. We have mutual need, remember?"

"There's no shame in doing good deeds," said Rose.

"Well, maybe not for creatures like you, but we foxes are different."

Something struck the side of the boat, causing the timbers to creak. Brome looked up from his baling.

"I hope that was a rock or something floating by. I'd hate to think it was a big fish!"

Rose peered down into the water. Her eyes went wide with shock. She looked up, pretending to scan the horizon.

Her brother shook his head. "C'mon, Rosie, you can't fool me. I saw you gaping into the water. What's down there?"

"It's a big fish!" Rose's voice was little more than a whisper.

They stopped baling. Joshy chuckled halfheartedly. "Big enough for us to catch an' eat, wot?"

Rose shook her head. "The other way round, friend. It's big enough to catch and eat us!"

There was another thump against the boat's side. Grumm sat tight, staring uncomfortably at the sky.

"Burr, Oi 'ate t' think o' moi pore bottom a-pokin' through 'ee bowt wi' a gurt fisher swimmin' under Oi."

The fish struck again!

This time it fractured the planking, and sea water squirted in as the boat settled lower.

The boat filled up, water rushing in over the sides as it dropped from beneath them, plummeting into the depths below. In an instant, they were all in the sea.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

The next thing Joshy remembered, he was lying face up on the beach. Brome was leaning over him, pounding on his chest to pump air back into the hare's lungs.

"I say, thanks awfully, old chap," Joshy said as soon as he could. "Where are Martin an' the others?"

Brome looked out over the waves. "There's no sign of 'em."

Joshy wiped water from his eyes. "I hope they're all right, wot."

"If they're still alive, they're probably heading to Equestria, like we agreed," said Brome.

"But that doesn't help us! We have no bally clue how to get there. What are we goin' to do? I don't even know where the flippin' flippy flip we are!"

"I know where we are," said Brome grimly. He pointed to the body of a dead rat with a knife sticking out of her. Nearby was an empty suit of clothes.

Joshy gave vent to a wail of frustration. "Wot? No! How did we end up back here? This is where we were tryin' to get away from!"

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Nightmare Moon was on the walltop when Discord sidled up and whispered in her ear, "The beasts you had in the prison pit are all gone."

Nightmare Moon narrowed her eyes. _**"GONE? WHAT DOST THOU MEAN? THEY HATH DIED OR BEEN KILLED?"**_

"Nope!" Discord said cheerfully. "They escaped!"

" _ **RUBBISH, NOBEAST ESCAPES MY PRISON PIT."**_

Discord could barely restrain his laughter. "They're gone all right. The strange thing is that there's no sign of escape. The grating was locked tight and the pit was secure."

" _ **THIS MUST BE MY SISTER'S DOING! I SHOULD HATH KILLED HER WHEN I HAD THE CHANCE!"**_ Nightmare Moon screamed. _**"WHY ARE YOU SMILING, IDIOT?"**_

She was interrupted by a cry from the shore. "Nightmare Moon, ole messmate! Sing out, 'ave you 'ad enough?"

" _ **IS THAT YOU, CLOGG? I'M THE ONE THAT SHOULD BE ASKING THEE THAT QUESTION. I HATH BURNED THY SHIP, STOVED IN THY BOATS, AND LEFT THEE WITH NOUGHT BUT THE SEA BEHIND THEE AND ME WITH MY FORTRESS AND MY HORDE IN FRONT OF THEE. WHAT D'YE SAY TO THAT?"**_

Captain Clogg's irrepressible laughter rang out of the darkness. "Haharr harr! But yer a few beasts short. My bullies slew a good number of yours, and some of yer darlin' liddle slaves 'ave escaped. Did ye know that?"

Nightmare Moon replied, _**"OUT WITH IT, STOAT. WHAT D'YE WANT?"**_

"A truce an' a parley."

" _ **OHO, THERE'S A CHANGE OF TUNE FOR YE. WHY SHOULD I PARLEY WITH THE LIKES OF THEE, THOU GREAT PLAITED SEA SWAB?"**_

"Cos iffen yer don't, I'll lay long siege to yer great palace. It don't cost nothin' to camp right 'ere on yer doorstep an' fish yer waters, an' plunder yer fields. Me an' my buckos ain't goin' noplace. I could keep a war goin' until yore dim in the eye, long in the seasons, an' white in the mane. Then you won't get no empire built, an' sooner or later yer horde'll starve. So be a good little pony an' parley wid me."

Nightmare Moon considered the offer for a moment. _**"VERY WELL. COMETH IN AND WE WILL TALK."**_

"Haharrharrharr! So be it, then. Open yer gates an' let me in."

Now it was Nightmare Moon's turn to chuckle. _**"THE GATES SHALL REMAINETH SHUT AND LOCKED. IF I WERE TO OPEN THEM, THY CREW WOULD CHARGETH IN AND ATTACKETH. INSTEAD, I'LL HAVE SOME OF MY BEASTS LETTETH DOWN A BASKET ON A ROPE, AND WE'LL HOISTETH YOU IN WITH THAT."**_

"Hoho, ain't you the suspicious one, an' me comin' 'ere in all good faith. Righto mate, we'll play yer liddle game."

 **TOBY CONTINUED:** _Will they come to an argument? What about Marten ad his companions? Keep reasoning for an answers to these questions._ __


	12. Chapter 12

**RECAPPED:** _Koshy and Brome ended up write back where they started but watt happened to Martin and the rest? Find out toady._

"'Ere, Marthen. Catch hold o' moi paw!"

Martin grasped Grumm's paw and the mole hauled him onto the shore. Rose and Celestia were already standing on the sandy beach. Skalrag was nowhere to be seen.

"I sure am glad to be standing on solid ground again," Martin said. "Where'd that fox get to?"

Rose shivered. "I haven't seen him. He must have been lost beneath the waves. What a horrible way to die, even for a vermin!"

But Celestia had been in a few stories like this before. "I bet he isn't dead. You should never assume a character is dead in a Redwall story unless you see the body. I have a feeling we'll see Skalrag again."

They sat on the sand, shivering and hungry, their teeth chattering and paws and hooves trembling uncontrollably. In front of them was a high stone wall that stretched in both directions as far as anybeast could see.

Through salt-bleared eyes Grumm peered up at the wall. "Wunner wot be on ee h'other side?"

Martin noticed metal rungs sticking out of the wall. A ladder. "Somewhere we can shelter for the night, I hope. Do you guys want to rest here while I take a look?"

Rose staggered onto her paws. "I don't like it here. Grumm and I will go with you."

"Burr aye, 'tis creepy rounden yurr!"

"What about you, Princess Celestia?" Martin asked.

"It'll be difficult for a four-legged animal like me to climb that wall, but I'll give it my best try."

Martin went first, followed by Grumm, then Rose. Celestia went last. Just as she predicted, she had a hard time, but she managed to stretch out and pull herself up, hoof over hoof. She wished her wings were still working so she could just fly over.

At last they made it to the top. The four friends sat catching their second wind, listening to the tide far below as it surged and hissed along the night cloaked shore. Below they could see what looked like a bunch of small huts, but they were hard to make out in the darkness.

Martin peered down. "I think there's a village down there. There's bound to be somebeast who will let us take shelter in their house."

"But wot if ee critters down thurr be vermin?" Grumm worried.

"That's just a chance we'll have to take," said Celestia.

"Carn't Oi stay yurr," Grumm sighed wearily. "Moi pesky ole paws be gone a-sleeping on Oi."

Rose rubbed her mole friend's paws vigorously. "Poor Grumm. Champion diggers can't be champion climbers too. Not far to go now and you can have a good sleep. I'll get breakfast tomorrow so you can have a little extra lie-in."

This offer perked Grumm up no end. "Burr. Thankee koindly, Miz Roser. You'm a guddbeast!"

Martin led the way down as he had led the way up, but when he got to the bottom his footpaws touched a net. Somebeast coshed him over the head with a cosh and he fell into unconsciousness.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Swimming up through dark mists, Martin's head lanced with pain as he opened his eyes, in bright sunlight. A stick prodded him sharply in the back.

"Despierta, raton!" said a voice.

The young mouse opened his eyes fully and saw he was boxed inside a stout wooden cage. Tiny mouse-like creatures with long wriggling snouts surrounded the cage. They danced up and down with excitement. One more venturesome than the rest darted forward and jabbed Martin's paw with a sharpened stick.

"Te tengo, raton! Jaja!"

Martin reacted speedily. With a swipe he snapped the stick, baring his teeth savagely as he gripped the wooden bars.

"Gerroutofit, you jabbering little idiots, and leave me alone!"

He shouted so loudly that the tiny creatures scattered like chaff before the wind, clapping paws over their ears.

Martin glared through the cage at them, growling fiercely, "Keep your distance, or I'll eat you all!"

He clashed his teeth several times, sending fresh pain waves through his throbbing head. Rubbing a sizeable bump on the back of his skull, Martin looked around and took stock of his position.

His cage was in the middle of the village he had seen. Nearby he could see four other cages, with Rose, Grumm, Celestia, and Skalrag inside. Celestia had been right; the fox was still alive.

"Hey! What is this place and who are all these creatures?" Martin called.

"They're pigmy shrews," Skalrag answered. "We're in big trouble."

Grumm rubbed the back of his head. "Burr oo! Moi pore skull. This shouldn't happen to a good ole lad loik Oi."

Rose was battering and tugging at the bars of her cage. "Let me out of here this instant, d'you hear. Let me out!"

Grumm held paws over his ears. "Hurr, doant ee make such a gurt noise, mizzy. You'm 'urtin' moi brains."

"How are you feeling, Celestia?" Martin asked.

The alicorn managed a wan smile. "Apart from being caged up with an ache in my head and a bump like an egg, plus a raging thirst and an empty stomach, I feel fine. How about you?"

A tiny drum sounded. Skalrag held up a paw. "That'll be the Queen, Ambala, coming. She's vindictive and all powerful round here."

Ambala was a plump little figure. She wore golden pantaloons and a cloak of light blue. On her head was a coronet studded with bright shell pieces and small polished beach pebbles. A seagull feather stuck up at the back of it.

Drawing herself up to the peak of her minuscule height, she pointed a tiny sword at Martin.

"Como te llamas, raton?" she asked shrewishly.

"I'm sorry, I don't understand," Martin said.

"Let me talk to her," said Skalrag. "I'm fluent in their language."

"Wow, you can speak Spanish?" Rose asked.

"Well, I can't speak the entire Spanish language, but I can say, with great fluency, the phrase, NO HABLAMOS ESPANOL. HABLAMOS INGLES."

Ambala scowled, but switched to English. "I asked you what your name is, mouse!"

"I am Martin the Warrior." The young mouse bowed his head, speaking respectfully. "That other mouse is called Rose, the mole is Grumm, the pony is Princess Celestia, and the fox is…"

"I know who the fox is!" Queen Ambala snapped. "He's El Badrang's Numero Dos."

Celestia spoke up. "We mean no harm to you or your tribe of pigmy shrews."

Ambala twirled her sword around. "You expect me to believe that? Anybeast coming over this wall means us harm. You're Badrang's creatures, I know it. Why else would you be with Skalrag?"

"We are no friends of Badrang!" Martin cried. "We are his enemies, just like you! And Badrang is dead now anyway?"

"Badrang es muerte?"

Rose nodded. "It's true. Marshank is now ruled over by an alicorn named Nightmare Moon."

"Que? An alicorn?" the queen repeated.

"Yes, she's a sort of unicorn with wings."

"You mean like this one here?" Ambala said, pointing to Celestia's cage. "So you are from Marshank, then!" she cried triumphantly.

"No, I'm not Nightmare Moon," Celestia tried to explain. "I'm her sister."

"If you're her hermana, you must be evil just like her. What's your name- Day Breaker?" The shrew queen paced back and forth. "Badrang came to this coast and took our land away from us. He built this wall and cut us off from our fishing grounds."

"But we didn't do those things!" Martin shouted.

Ambala paid him no heed. She was in a high attitude. "What happens when _we_ go over _there?_ We get captured and made into slaves. So now that you've come over here, you are going to be my slaves. You will clean our streets an' take care of the ninos. I am La Reina Ambala! I have spoken!"

 **TOW BE CONTINUED:** _Next chaptered we will look back at Nightmare Mono and Clogg._


	13. Chapter 13

**RECAP:** _Lass capture, Martin, Celestia, Rios, Groom, and Scarab were captured by pigmy shares. Now we muss look black at the torrent characters at Nightmare Fortress._

Nightmare Moon and Clogg affixed their signatures to a sprawling birch bark parchment, the alicorn writing her name in a curly flourishing script, whilst Clogg laboriously scrawled an X and a crude sketch of a wooden clog, his mark. Discord watched.

"Harr, so as I sees it you're goin' to call off yer troops an' lend me some slaves to refurbish an' refloat my ship," said Clogg. "Meself on the other paw, won't attack, 'arass, or demand slaves from you. I'm to unnerstand that the slaves you lend me is still yores an' 'ave to be returned. Right?"

" _ **AYE, AGREED, AND DON'T FORGETTETH THIS. AT SUCH TIMES AS THOU HATH A SEAWORTHY CRAFT TO SAILETH OFF IN, I KEEP HALF OF THY CREW AS HOSTAGES. WHEN, OR IF, THOU RETURNETH HAVING TAKEN MORE SLAVES, THEN THEY GETTETH DIVIDED EQUALLY BETWEEN US AND THOU GETTETH THY HOSTAGES RETURNED TO GIVETH THEE A FULL CREW."**_

Clogg stroked his plaited whiskers, narrowing one eye. "Fairly said, partner, fairly said. An' I can feed me crew from yer supplies an' billet them 'ere in yer fancy fort, though I'm never to tell other corsairs or searats as I may come across on the 'igh seas the location of this 'ere place."

Nightmare Moon nodded. _**"RIGHT! BUT DON'T FORGETTETH, AFTER THE FIRST CARGO OF SLAVES IS SPLIT BETWEEN US YE GUARANTEE TO SELLETH ANY FURTHER SLAVES FROM FUTURE VOYAGES ONLY TO ME. I'LL GIVETH THEE THE BEST OF WEAPONS, TRADE GOODS, AND SUPPLIES."**_

Clogg draped a paw around her shoulders. "Haharr, it'll be just like in the good ole days with Badrang!" But they didn't really trust each other and each planned to betray the other. Discord was unhappy with the arrangement too. He'd been enjoying watching Nightmare Moon and Clogg fight each other and was disappointed that they had made an alliance.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX __

Martin, Celestia, Rose, and Grumm had their feet bound to hefty logs which Queen Ambala called hobblewoods. A crowd of baby shrews descended on the captives, headed by Ambala's son Dinjer, the one who had been poking Martin with a stick.

Dinjer prodded Celestia impatiently. "Up now, caballo. We go for a ride on hobblewoods!"

Celestia and Grumm spent the remainder of the afternoon towing the shrews around. The tiny beasts sat on the wooden hobbles, singing and laughing uproariously as they urged their transports on to greater speeds. Rose and Martin had been detailed into cleaning the streets of the shrew village and collecting garbage. It was degrading work, but Martin had to admit it wasn't as bad as working for Badrang.

Ambala led Skalrag to her own house. Once she had lived in a magnificent palace, but Badrang had driven her out, knocked the palace down, and started building his fort on the same spot. Skalrag had been very closely involved in these activities, and Ambala had not forgotten.

"I obviously can't trust a fox around mis hijos, so you're going to be my kitchen slave instead," Ambala said.

"You want me to cook for you?" Skalrag asked.

"No, no, no. I don't want a filthy vermin touching my comida. Your job is to scrub the floor!"

It turned out to be impossible for Skalrag to clean the floor, because the floor was literally made of dirt. Also, she didn't give him any soap or water or anything, just a rag. To make matters worse, the queen was throwing plates and food at him the whole time.

One big dish broke on the fox's head. "How dare you break my silverware?" Ambala demanded.

"I didn't break it. You broke it," Skalrag protested feebly.

An evil glint appeared in the shrew queen's eye. "So! You dare to talk back to me? Then I'll strip the hide off you!"

She started beating him with a stick. "You and Badrang took my land and destroyed my home. Now I get my revenge!"

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

When night fell, Martin and his friends were allowed to stop working and go to sleep. Some shrews had lain blankets down for them in an empty hut.

"From slavery to slavery in one easy pawstep, where will it end?" Martin sighed loud and long.

Celestia shook his paw comfortingly. "In Equestria, eventually. We won't be here all our lives with a warrior like you about, Martin."

"I'm not Martin the Warrior anymore." Martin put his head between his paws. "I'm Martin the Street Cleaner. I don't even have my father's sword anymore. He told me never to lose it and I failed him."

"Well, it must still be in that fortress somewhere," said Celestia. "I don't think Luna would want it. And anyway, it's not your sword that makes you a warrior. It's what's in your heart."

"I wonder what became of Brome and Joshy," said Rose. "They'll have drifted in to land, no doubt. I hope Joshy is taking good care of my brother. I hope they're safe and well."

Skalrag staggered in. He had a black eye and bruises. "Wot happened to 'ee?" Grumm cried. "You'm look loik 'ee back of 'ee shirt!"

"Queen Ambala set me to a bunch of impossible tasks, and when I couldn't do them, she beat me," the fox answered. "But you know what? I used to do the same thing to the slaves at Marshank. I hurt them for fun, without thinking about how it felt for them. Now I'm being treated the same way. For the first time, Martin, I understand why you're so gung ho about going back there to free the rest of the captives. It's just wrong for any animal to be treated this way. No beast should be a slave to another."

"I never thought I'd hear a fox say those words," Martin marveled.

"I deserve to rot here," muttered Skalrag. "Now I know why everybeast calls me a vermin."

Rose took pity on him. "Just because you've been bad all your life doesn't mean you can't change and be good, Skalrag. It's never too late to turn over a new leaf."

"We won't leave you to rot here," Celestia promised. "When we escape, we'll take you with us."

"And once we get out, we'll make sure nobeast is ever a slave at Marshank again," said Martin.

"I'll help you," Skalrag said suddenly. He was looking much brighter now.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"As long as we're back here, we should do something useful," said Brome. He and Joshy were still on the seashore. They were eating magic food that Joshy had conjured

"Like what?" Joshy asked.

"Like free the rest of the slaves!" Brome said with idealism.

"I say, are you out of your flippin' mind? What can two animals do against hundreds? If we went back to Nightmare Fortress, we'd last as long as a leaf in a fire, wot!"

"Not necessarily," said the rock he was sitting on. Joshy let out a scream and jumped into the air.

The rock changed into Discord.

"You're that guy who was wrecking all the boats last night," said Brome.

"Don't you work for Nightmare Moon?" said Joshy.

Discord chuckled. "More like she works for me."

Joshy's ears drooped. "Are you goin' to turn us in to her?"

"Well, you see, she's been fighting Captain Clogg all this time," said Discord. "But now they've decided to work together. I can't have that. Things would get so boring! So to make things more exciting, I'm going to tell you how to… free the other slaves!"

 **TOBY CONTINUED:** _Can Brim and Joshy trust Disco? Can Martin and Celestial rust Skalrag? You will sea…_


	14. Chapter 14

**RECAP:** _Last tome, Discord appeared to Brome and Bossy and tolled them he had a plan to help them free the other claves in Nightmare Fortress. No we must look back on Martin and his friends in the shrew village._

It was the next morning although it has actually been many months since the writing of the last chapter in this story. Martin and his friends were supervising some baby shrews' breakfast, but the pigmy shrew Dibbuns were more interested in throwing food than eating it.

"Great seasons, they've got the table manners of a wolfpack," Rose sighed.

"I definitely wasn't that badly behaved when I was a Dibbun," Martin agreed.

Grumm was trying to wipe off Dinjer's sticky whiskers. "Cumm yurr, you'm- 'orrible liddle toad. Thoi whisker'n be full o' oatmeal."

Dinjer responded by dumping his bowl of oatmeal over the mole's head. Then he ran outside.

"Come back here and eat your breakfast!" Celestia called after him.

Dinjer stuck his head in through the doorway and chortled, "Jaja, can't catch Dinjer, caballo!" Then he was off like a shot.

"I suppose we'll have to bring the little rogue back," Martin said. "Come on, Celestia."

Martin and Celestia ran out into the street. Dinjer was nowhere to be seen.

Suddenly Celestia cried, "There he is, the little blaggard. Look, climbing!"

Dinjer had taken a notion to scale the wall that surrounded the village. Martin's patience snapped. He ran over to the wall, pointing at the miscreant.

"Get down from there, you stupid little beast, or you'll fall!"

A rock hit Martin sharply on his back. "Don't talk to mi hijo like that, bigmouse bigmouth!" Martin turned to see Queen Amballa standing behind him.

He was about to make some reply when there was a loud screech. "Yeeeaaakkk!"

A great gannet swooped down and snatched Dinjer from the top of the wall. The infant pigmy shrew was carried high into the air, held by his tail and the hem of his loose robe in the bird's lethal amber beak. He wriggled and squealed like a midget piglet.

Amballa's wails rent the air. "Dinjer es muerte! No more Dinjer!" She slumped to the ground and wept inconsolably.

Martin grabbed her by the paws, pulling her upright. "He's not dead yet. I'll save him for you!" He grabbed a sword from a passing shrew and scooped up a net lying on the ground. With the sword he sliced through the rope binding him to his hobblewood. Then he raced off toward the wall.

The gannet's nest was in a high tree just on the other side of the wall. Dinjer lay limp between the big bird's well-clawed and webbed feet. He set up a piercing cry. "Ayudame! Ayudame!"

Martin quickly scaled the wall, with the sword between his teeth and the net slung over his shoulder. Soon he was at the top and the tree was only a short jump away. He leaped right into the gannet's nest.

Below, the whole of the pigmy shrew tribe had gathered, along with Celestia, Rose, Grumm, and Skalrag. Amballa hid her face for fear of what might happen to her little son. Rose put a comforting paw around her shoulders. "Don't cry. Martin is a mighty warrior. He will get your Dinjer back, you'll see!"

Amballa uncovered her eyes. "Mi esposo, Dinjer's padre, was taken by a big bird like that. That was the last we saw of him!"

The gannet turned its bright dangerous eyes on Martin as he took the sword from his mouth. It took a stalking stride towards Martin, lowering its lethal yellow beak. The young mouse swung with the little sword. It clacked harmlessly off the great bird's beak, but caused the gannet to stop where it was. Now Martin shook the net out and swished it at the bird's feet. It took a step back. Behind him he could hear Dinjer sobbing with terror.

Suddenly the gannet stepped back too far and overbalanced the nest. The nest tipped over and fell from the tree, taking Martin and Dinjer with it. Martin thought he was gonna die. Just before he struck the ground he landed on something soft and furry. He sat up and looked around. He and Dinjer were on Celestia's back, and Celestia was flying again!

"Celestia!" Martin exclaimed. "I thought your wing was too injured for you to fly!"

Celestia smiled. "That's what I thought too. Then I saw you about to fall to your death and I was in the air before I could stop myself!"

She took them back down to the ground. Amballa ran and scooped her son up and Rose ran over to Martin. "Are you hurt, Martin?"

"No, Celestia caught me before I hit the ground," Martin said.

Dinjer was in his mother's arms. He waved a paw at Martin. "Gracias, senor!"

"I never thought I'd hear him say that to anybeast," Amballa said. "I guess we all owe you our thanks. I was wrong about you, Martin. You risked your life to save my son even though we were your enemies. You're not an evilbeast like the vermin living in Marshank after all."

"That's right," said Celestia. "We were actually on our way to my home, Equestria, to raise an army of ponies and free the slaves there."

"Okay then," said Amballa. "I will let you fulfill your quest. You're all free to go."

"Thanks a lot!" said Martin. "By the way, we also have two other friends, a mouse called Brome and a hare called Joshy. Keep an eye out for them, okay?"

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Speaking of Joshy and Brome… what are they up too now? Find out necks time!_


	15. Chapter 15

**REPAY:** _Martin just saved Queen Ambala's son from a bird so she let hi and his friends go free._

On the shore near Nightmare Fortress, a searat named Wulpp was limping along. He was a member of Clogg's crew that had been injured in the battle with Nightmare Moon's horde two nights ago. Suddenly two other rats padded up beside him.

"Hi there, mate. It's us, Rika and Benry. You the beast they left be'ind?"

Wulpp sat down on the sand. "Aye, that's me." He was glad to see his old friends again.

Benry sat down by him. "Cap'n sent us back for ye. We were walkin' along the clifftops when we saw you down 'ere."

"I say, what did you do to your bally hoof?" asked Rika.

Wulpp frowned. "Rika, you're talking like one of them fancy rabbets that lives on that big mountain down south, what's it called, Sala-something?"

Rika gritted her teeth. "They're not rabbits, ant brain. They're called hares!"

"Anyway, yeah, I took a javelin through me footpaw the other night. I passed out from the pain and only just woke up this morning. Aagh, it 'urts bad. Wot d'ye think, will it give me a limp for the rest o' me life?"

"More'n likely, bucko." Benry nodded as he ripped off a strip from his shirt and tied it around Wulpp's footpaw. "You was lucky it didn't catch you 'igher, or you'd a been a goner. Come on, mate, up on yer paws. We'll give yer a lift back to the fortress."

"But I thought we were fighting the animals in the fortress," said Wulpp, confused.

"You're behind the times, old lad," said Rika. "Captain Clogg an' Nightmare Moon have made an alliance. We're all stayin' in Nightmare Fortress now, wo-" She was cut off when Benry clapped a paw over her mouth. Wulpp didn't understand why.

Hopping on one paw, the injured searat threw an arm about each of their shoulders and leaned on them as the three made their way slowly back. "I won't fergit yer fer the 'elp you've give me this day, messmates."

Nobeast paid much attention to them as they entered Nightmare Fortress. "C'mon, mate, let's find someplace for you to sit easy," Benry told Wulpp.

They sat with their backs against a wall. "Harr, 'tis rest you need, Wulpp," Benry said. "A good deep sleep'd do you a power o' good, matey. Sleep, the best healer of all!"

Wulpp did not argue. He was weary and his footpaw throbbed relentlessly. Closing his eyes, he lay back.

"Right you are, Benry. I feel like I could sleep fer a season!"

Just then Keyla the otter came by. Rika took off her searat hat for a second, revealing a pair of long lapine ears. Keyla instantly recognized Joshy Stag Hare!

Wulpp's eyelids flickered open. "Rika, me ole matey, you looks like a hare without yore hat on. Huh, you talk like one too. In fact, I think you are a…"

Keyla sprang into action. He hit Wulpp over the head with the hilt of his sword, knocking him out.

"He's got enough on his mind to keep him asleep a good while," Keyla giggled. "Joshy, what are you doing back here?"

"Well, Brome an' I are goin' in a cognito, wot. We got separated from Martin an' the others so we thought we'd come to get the rest of the slaves away from here. We took these clothes off a couple of dead searats."

Brome lifted Benry's hat so Keyla could see him for a second. "Joshy, you need to watch your voice. You sound too much like a hare and not at all like a searat."

Joshy put his paws on his hips. "Well, we can't all be as good at imitatin' flippin' accents an' dialects as you are, wot!"

"I can help you," Keyla said. "How are we going to get them out?"

"We have a plan," said Brome. He outlined the scheme, which Discord had told him and Joshy earlier.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Discord came striding into Nightmare Moon's office. "You're not happy, are you, Moony?"

Nightmare Moon slammed her hoof down on the table. _**"DO NOT CALLETH ME MOONY! I AM SHE CALLED EMPRESS NIGHTMARE MOON AND WILL ANSWER TO NO OTHER NAME!"**_

"Indoor voice, please," Discord smirked. He wasn't intimidated by her at all.

" _ **I CAN'T STANDETH THE SMELL OF CAPTAIN CLOGG'S FISHY BREATH,"**_ the alicorn raged. _**"I NEVER INTENDED FOR THEM TO STAY IN HERE. I THOUGHT THEY WOULD CAMPETH OUT ON THE BEACH OUTSIDE."**_

Discord nodded with false sympathy. "I'll bet you'd like to have him out of the way so you could be the boss of both your army and his pirate crew." He plunked a vial down onto the table. "There's enough wolfbane and hemlock in here to lay an army out. Clogg could never resist a drop of blackberry grog."

" _ **I SEE."**_ Nightmare Moon nodded. _**"SO IF I JUST POUR SOME OF THIS IN A FLAGON OF GROG AND GIVE IT TO HIM, MY PROBLEMS WILL BE OVER."**_

Discord slithered out into the courtyard, where he came upon Clogg.

"Discord, me old messmate," Clogg said, "I never thought I'd say this, but I actually miss Badrang."

"I know what you mean," said Discord. "Badrang was predictable, but this Nightmare Moon is wild and crazy. You never know what she'll do next." In reality, of course, this was just the sort of creature Discord liked best.

"Aye, her name should be Nightmare Loon!" Clogg chuckled.

Then Discord pointed over by the wall, where Wulpp was still slumped. "Say Cloggy, isn't that one of your crew over there?"

Clogg went over there. "It is! He's out cold! One of Nightmare Loon's lot must've attacked him. Avast, what makes her think she can treat my beasts in that manner? Wulpp ain't one of her slaves! She's violating our agreement!" The stoat's face turned red with fury. "I'll 'ave 'er ears fer dinner an' 'er liver 'n' tripes tore out!"

"Okay, okay, calm down," Discord said, but he didn't _really_ want Clogg to calm down. "You can't just attack her in hot blood. You've tried that twice and lost both times."

Clogg took a deep breath. "You're right. I'll need to get her when she ain't expecting it. I'll have to rack me old noggin to come up with a fiendishly clever plan." He called for one of his rats. "Ahoy, Oilback! You're skilled at slingin' a frogsticker, right?"

Discord laughed silently to himself as he turned on his heel and strode away.

Three separate schemes were being laid in Nightmare Fortress that day. Two for death and one for freedom.

But there was really only one plan being made.

Discord's.

 **TOBY CONTINUED:** _What is Discord's ultimate goal? Keep reading to find out. Also, in the next chapter we will meat some charters from a third canon, other than Redwall and MLP. Find out what the third story in this crossover is next time._


	16. Chapter 16

**REMAP:** _Nightmares Moon is plotting to kill Clogg and Clog is plotting to kill Nightmare Moon and Joshy and Brome are potting to rescue the other enslaved animals. What moor could you want?_

The shrews had given Martin a sword, though a shrew sword only made a short knife for the mouse. He was happy to be back on his way, though. They had left the shore far behind and were hiking through a forest. Celestia led the way north to Equestria. She had been in high spirits ever since her wing recovered. She was so happy that she was doing loop-de-loops in the sky, but she made sure never to get out of sight of her friends. Rose walked right by Martin's side, and often sang songs to keep the group entertained.

A change had come over Skalrag the fox since they left the shrew village. He spoke with less hissing and whining now. He would cackle with laughter and caper if any jest was made, or even if somebeast spoke kindly to him. He was friendly, and indeed pitifully anxious to please.

Grumm walked at the rear of the party. The sun was hot, and he was not as young as he used to be. He blinked as he wiped the moist tip of his nose. "Hurr, be cooler unnerground, us'ns a-goen t' make camp soon, C'lester?" he called up to the sky.

Celestia swooped down to the ground. "Good idea, Grumm. We deserve a rest. I've seen that these woods are almost over."

They pushed through the last few trees and came out into a meadow. They halted by a little brook. Grumm sat down and began dabbling his footpaws in the brook, grunting and making small noises of happiness. Martin and Rose sat behind him, nudging each other and stifling silent giggles as they watched the mole enjoy his paddle.

"I see you. Beware!"

The booming voice came out of nowhere. Quick as a flash, Martin leaped up, drawing his sword.

Skalrag leaped up too. "Who said that?" Martin held up a paw, cautioning him to silence. They waited a moment, then the voice echoed out a second time.

"Go back, small ones. Leave my path!"

"I ain't no small one!" Skalrag shouted. "Who are you?"

"I am the Mirdop." The spectral sound rumbled about the downs. "I see all. None can pass me. Go back!"

"We mean no harm," Celestia replied, keeping her voice friendly as possible. "We are only travelers trying to reach Equestria."

Martin whispered, "Keep him talking. I'll try and find out where he is!"

"Be still, all of you!" the voice rang out, hollow and angry. "For I am Mirdop, born in a storm at the night of winter's moon! I see all! I slay all!"

Martin glimpsed a great hollow log in the general direction of the voice. That was the only place where a creature could really be hiding. He sneaked around the side of the log and peered into the open end. All that was in there was a rabbit.

"Stay back, keep away," the rabbit said, not seeing Martin behind him. The acoustics of the log magnified his voice. "I've fought foxes, battered badgers, whipped weasels, strangled stoats…" Suddenly Martin grabbed him by the arm. The rabbit's voice cut off abruptly as he felt the mouse's grip. His ears stood up straight on his head as he whirled around.

"What d'you mean by shouting threats and trying to intimidate travelers?" Martin demanded.

The rabbit stopped being scared when he saw that Martin was a mouse. "Beg your pardon, I didn't know you were a mouse. I thought you were an elil, an enemy, something that could hurt us. One never knows what horrid types of beast want to wander abroad."

"My friends and I wouldn't dream of hurting a rabbit," Martin said. "I'm Martin the Warrior."

"Pleased to meet you, Martin," said the rabbit. "My name's Hazel."

Martin led Hazel outside. The look of fear returned to Hazel's face when he glimpsed Skalrag. "Ah! A fox!"

"Is that who was doin' all the shoutin'?" Skalrag asked in disbelief.

"Don't eat me!" Hazel cried.

Martin chuckled. "Skalrag's not the type of fox who eats other animals. He's more likely to capture them and sell them into slavery."

"I told you, I'm not going to do that anymore," Skalrag said.

"None of us means you any harm," Rose said.

"Hmm, tell you what I'll do," said Hazel. "I'll have my brother take a look at you." He whistled and another rabbit popped up from a hole in the ground. "Fiver, can these animals be trusted?"

Fiver, the other rabbit, took a good long look at Martin's friends. "Yes, they're fine. I don't have any bad feelings about them. The fox seems like he was once evil, but I sense that he has turned over a new leaf."

"Okay," Hazel said. "Would you like a bite to eat?"

"Yes, please, that would be nice," said Rose.

"Oi ain't 'ad a bite since we left ee shrew village," Grumm agreed.

"I'd invite you into our warren, but some of you are too big to fit in there," Hazel said, looking at Celestia.

"That's okay," she said.

Hazel went down a hole and brought up some wild carrots and mushrooms. They were delicious.

As they ate, Fiver was staring at Rose, and at last he said to her, "The creatures you're looking for, your brother and the hare, haven't passed this way."

"How did you know we were looking for my brother and a hare?" Rose asked.

Hazel said, "Fiver knows lots of things but he doesn't know why he knows them. He even predicted that our old home would be destroyed."

"You should stay away from the vermin fort," Fiver said. "Bad fortune awaits you there if you return."

Martin leaned forward. "What sort of bad fortune, Fiver?"

The young rabbit closed his eyes, rocking back and forth. "I don't know. I just have a vague… bad feeling about you going back there."

"If I were you, I'd listen to him," Hazel said. "His feelings are usually right."

"I have to go back, though," Martin said. "I need to reclaim my father's sword."

"And I need to reconcile with my sister," Celestia added.

"And we need to free the slaves," said Rose.

In the seasons to come, Martin would not regret ignoring Fiver's advice. He would indeed take his sword back and defeat Nightmare Moon. But at a cost. Fiver had been right when he said bad fortune awaited.

 **TOE BE CONTINUED:** _What is the bad fortune that awaits then? I'll give you a hint, it'll be slightly different then what happened in the original book…_


	17. Chapter 17

**RECAP:** _Pastime,_ _Martin met the rabbits from Waterski Down, who warned him that bad fortune awaited him._

"I swiped these knives and slings from the armory," Keyla said to Brome and Joshy.

"What did you do that for, old chap?" Joshy asked.

"I figure if we escape, we'll need weapons. After all, the vermin might come after us."

Brome and Joshy were still wearing Benry's and Rika's clothes. Along with Keyla, they marched into the slave compound.

"We're here to break you all out," Keyla whispered.

"How are you going to do that?" a mouse named Yarrow asked.

"All you have to do is follow us," Brome said. "We'll go down into the prison pit and escape through the tunnel Joshy and I used to get out. If anybeast stops or challenges us, don't you say a word, leave the talking to me. Stay in the shadows as much as possible, don't hurry too much and above all, be silent!"

They went out into the courtyard. There were vermin standing guard, but Joshy and Brome were disguised as rats and Keyla had been made a soldier, so the vermin just thought that Nightmare Moon had ordered them to take the slaves somewhere.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Nightmare Moon corked the flagon, shaking it well before she gave it to Druwp the bankvole.

" _ **WHEN CLOGG IS ASLEEP, SNEAKETH UP TO HIM. PLACETH THE FLAGON IN HIS PAW, OR AS CLOSE AS THOU CAN GETTEST TO IT. THAT STUPID PLAITED BUFFOON DOESN'T CARE WHAT HE DRINKETH. WHEN HE WAKES IN THE MORNING THE FLAGON WILL BE THE CLOSEST THING TO HIM. HE'LL POPPETH THE CORK AND GUZZLETH IT DOWN. GO NOW."**_

Swathed in a dark cloak, the vole left the office.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Clogg was explaining to Oilback his fiendishly clever plan to kill Nightmare Moon. "As soon as the stingy grubswiper steps out of her room, sling your frogsticker right into her throat, matey."

It didn't particularly seem fiendishly clever to Oilback; it was basically just "kill her by throwing a knife at her," but the searat knew better than to argue with his captain. Besides, he felt proud to be selected for this task. It was not just any common crewbeast that got to kill the Empress of Nightmare Fortress. No, it was he, Oilback, the best knife thrower in all Captain Clogg's crew.

He sneaked over to Nightmare Moon's door. He held his knife by the blade, ready to throw. The door opened. He closed one eye and took aim. A cloaked figure stole out, shutting the door carefully behind it. Oilback grunted with exertion as he hurled his weapon.

It was a good throw. The figure collapsed to the floor with a cry. Oilback hurried forward. A low snarl of dismay escaped his lips when he saw the creature he had slain. It was not Nightmare Moon! It was a vole!

" _ **WHAT GOETH ON OUT THERE?"**_ Nightmare Moon's imperious voice demanded.

Oilback panicked. He tried to pull his blade out of Druwp's throat, but Nightmare Moon had the door open before he could make a clean getaway. She saw him standing over the dead vole, holding a bloody knife. Her shout was even louder than usual.

" _ **MURDERER! THOU HAST KILLED MY HORDEBEAST!"**_

Oilback ran for his life.

He dashed out into the courtyard just as Brome, Joshy, and Keyla were passing with the slaves. Oilback ran slap bang into Brome.

Nightmare Moon came thundering after Oilback. _**"STOPPETH THAT MURDERING TRAITOR!"**_

Instantly a number of Nightmare Moon's soldiers and Clogg's corsairs surrounded the group, but none of the vermin were sure what was going on. Nightmare Moon saw all the slaves gathered together. _**"KEYLA, WHAT ART THOU DOING WITH ALL THESE CREATURES?"**_

"Looks like we're in for a spot of bother, wot?" Joshy murmured to Brome.

Nightmare Moon struck Keyla with her hoof, knocking him to the ground. _**"THOU ART HELPING THE SLAVES ESCAPE! I SHOULD NEVER HATH TRUSTED THEE!"**_

Joshy Stag Hare knew they were all in danger. He decided to distract Nightmare Moon. He whipped off his corsair clothes. "What ho, Nightmare Moon! Look, I'm not really a searat, I'm Joshy Stag Hare, an' I'm a wizard!" He started running all around the courtyard, yelling, "Fried chicken!" and every time he yelled a whole bunch of fried chicken appeared near where he was standing.

" _ **YOU!"**_ Nightmare Moon bellowed. _**"KILLETH THAT HARE!"**_

The vermin jumped to obey her. They chased the hare wizard all over Nightmare Fortress, but Joshy was too fast for them. Many of them slipped on the piles of greasy chicken and fell down.

Clogg came puffing up. "Ahoy, matey. Wot's going on?"

" _ **THIS MUST BE THY DOING, STOAT. THOU'RT TRYING TO ROBBETH ME OF MY SLAVES! WHERE IS DISCORD?"**_

Discord was nowhere to be seen because he had turned himself invisible. He was sitting on top of a roof and laughing at the spectacle. He was even eating popcorn!

In all the confusion, everybeast had forgotten Brome and his group. "Come on, this way!" the young mouse called as he led the animals to the pit. He ushered them all inside, then dashed back to where Keyla was lying on the ground, wounded by the alicorn's kick.

"Brome, what are you still doing here, mate?" Keyla asked weakly. "Get… out… now!" Then he died.

Blinking back tears, Brome ran back to the escape tunnel.

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Will any of them escapee alive? Woo knows?_


	18. Chapter 18

**RECAP:** _Nightmare Moon killed Kayla and Clogg also tied to have Nightmare Moon killed, butt his plane failed. Mean whale, Brome attested to lead the captured animals to freedom, but we do knot no if he seceded._

As the moon shone down on Watership Down, Celestia sat alone on the grass. Hazel had invited the others to stay the night in the rabbit warren, but she couldn't come inside because she was just too big to fit through the hole.

Skalrag popped out of the burrow and walked up to Celestia. "Can you not sleep either?" she asked.

"I just couldn't stand seeing all those rabbits cower from me in fear every time I looked in their direction," the fox replied. "Besides, I like sleeping outside better. Don't think I came up here to keep you company or nothing."

"I wonder how Luna is doing," Celestia said. "The last we heard of her, she was battling those pirates. I hope they didn't hurt her."

"Your sister? Oh, don't worry about her. She's tough. I found that out when I had to drag her to the Shank. If anything, you should be worried about the other animals there."

"Well, I'm worried about them, too," the alicorn replied. "What if she hurts somebeast, or even kills them? Alicorns are formidable beasts."

"So I imagine when they go bad, they go really bad," Skalrag mused.

"You must understand, my sister was my closest friend since colthood. I know her very well and she would never harm a single soul. She's only behaving like this because Discord has corrupted her. He can make anypony do anything."

"Could he even make somebeast kill their best friend?" Skalrag asked.

Celestia nodded. "It's very possible."

"So we're really going up against…" Skalrag couldn't think of how to end that sentence.

"It's going to be hard, all right," Celestia said. "Are you sure you want to stick with us? You don't owe us anything, you know. You could go off on your own and make a new life somewhere."

Skalrag shook his head emphatically. "No! These past few days, being thrown in prison by Nightmare Moon and forced to work for Queen Ambala, I've gotten a taste of what it's like to be a slave. It's horrible. I realized nobeast should ever have to suffer in that way. What makes it worse is, I've actually enslaved other creatures myself. I need to do something to, I don't know, make up for… I can't think of a good word to describe what I want to do, but…"

"Atone?" Celestia guessed. "You want to atone for your wrongdoings?"

"Hmm, I've never heard that word before, what does it mean?"

"It means you want to do something good to make up for something bad." (See, this book taught you a new word! It's not just a stupid story, you can actually learn things from it!)

"Yeah, that's it," Skalrag said. "I want to atone."

Celestia smiled. "I'm glad to hear you say that. If a villainous fox like you can change his ways, then I have hope that I can help my sister be good again."

They went quiet after that, and soon they were asleep.

 **TO BE CONTINUE:** _Is the fox sincere? Did Joshy, Broom, and the rest got out okay? And what became of Oilback, the rat who attempted to assonate Princess Lupus? Keep reading to lean the answers._


	19. Chapter 19

**REAP:** _When we last was Joshy, he was being chaste by Nightmare Moon's vermin. Now we find out what happened to him._

Nightmare Moon and her horde had finally cornered Joshy, in Badrang's old bedroom. Joshy could see Martin's sword lying on a dresser, but it was at the other end of the room. He couldn't reach it. He was trapped.

"Do you want to kill him right away, or should we torture him a little while first?" Hisk asked.

" _ **OH, KILLETH HIM RIGHT AWAY, BY ALL MEANS. I HATH LEARNED MY LESSON ABOUT KEEPING BEASTS ALIVE."**_

"Just don't throw me in a blinkin' briar patch, wot!" Joshy cried.

Nightmare Moon smiled. _**"WORRY NOT, HARE. I ART NOT GOING TO THROW THEE IN A BRIAR PATCH, I SHALL JUST GORETH THEE WITH MINE HORN!"**_

"NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" screamed Joshy. He wished he could disappear. And then, suddenly, he did, just as Nightmare Moon was about to plunge her horn into him.

He found himself out on the beach. Nightmare Fortress was nowhere in sight. "I say, I must have teleported, wot," he said to himself. "But I wasn't tryin' to do that. Why the deuce does my magic always kick in when I don't intend it to? An' where do my powers come from, anyway?"

"I can tell you where your magic comes from," said a voice. Joshy turned around. It was Discord.

"It comes from me," said Discord. "Joshy Stag Hare… I am your father!"

All Joshy could say was "Wot?"

"I can do magic and so can you. Didn't you think there was a reason for that?"

"But I say, sah, I'm a hare an' you're some kind of cross between a bunch of different animals. I don't look a bally thing like you. How can you be my father?"

"Well, I may not look like a hare," Discord said, "But a… certain part of me… is a hare. That was the part that allowed you to be… created, shall we say?"

"Who was my mother then?" Joshy asked.

"She was just another slave at Marshank. She died giving birth to you."

Joshy pondered this revelation. He didn't quite know what to do with the new information. "So if I'm your son, does that mean I have all the same powers as you?"

"Pretty much," said Discord. "You'll probably turn out to be immortal, just like me, too." This explains why Joshy could be alive in the time of Martin and still be Basil Stag Hare's father.

"Immortal. That means I can never die, wot. But I say, that could get dashed lonely, stayin' alive for ever while all your friends get old an' die."

"Yeah, that's why I don't have friends," said Discord. "It's so much easier not forming attachments. Speaking of not forming attachments, I'm afraid I can't stick around. I have to get back to Nightmare Fortress." And he poofed away, before the hare could say another word.

When Discord arrived back at Nightmare Fortress, he found Nightmare Moon and Captain Clogg quarrelling over who was to blame for the escape. The other corsairs and horde members gathered in the courtyard to witness the argument between their leaders. Discord grabbed some more popcorn and settled down to enjoy the show.

"Hah, 'igh an' mighty Empress Nightmare Moon can't 'old on to a passel of defenseless slavebeasts. I'll never get me new ship built now. Yore a lobstertail!"

" _ **LOBSTERTAIL? THOU ART THE ONE WHO STARTED ALL THIS MESS, ADDLEBRAIN! THOU PROBABLY ORCHESTRATED THE ESCAPE THYSELF. THOU DISTRACTED ME BY HAVING THY BAGGAGE OF A RAT KILL ONE OF MY SOLDIERS!"**_

"Well, you had me mate Wulpp knocked over the 'ead!"

" _ **I KNOWETH NOT WHAT THOU ART TALKING ABOUT. I DID NO SUCH THING!"**_

"Harr, go an' boil yer 'ead, you lying jellyfish!"

" _ **SHUT THY MOUTH, YE PIGTAILED POLTROON, OR I'LL SHUTTETH IT FOR THEE!"**_

"Haharr, now yore flyin' yer true colors, jugnose. I'm not stoppin' round 'ere to bandy words with the like o' you, I'm off to do somethin' useful. Gruzzle, Boggs, form the crew up fully armed."

" _ **HOLDETH ON, WOODENPAWS. WHERE D'YE THINK THOU'RT OFF TO?"**_

"Well, clean out yer mucky lugs an' lissen whilst I tell yer. Those slaves that escaped last night is now free beasts, you got no jurisdiction over 'em anymore, your highness. So if anybeast were to recapture 'em, then they'd belong to the finder, an' that'll be me if yer please."

" _ **OH NO YE DON'T! DISCORD! HISK! FLEABANE! GETTETH THE HORDE TOGETHER! NOW! WE'RE GOING AFTER THE SLAVES!"**_

Clogg hauled out his cutlass. "You can just get back in the barn with all the other horses, Nightmare Moon. Me and my crew 'll find them before you do."

The race was on.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

"Joshy, over here, mate!"

Joshy saw Brome waving to him from farther up the shoreline. The mouse was surrounded by a crowd of animals. Joshy jogged over to them.

"I say, so you all got out all right? Good oh!"

"Not all of us made it out," Brome said sadly. "Keyla the otter died. Nightmare Moon kicked him right in the head." He shuddered.

"Shame," Joshy said. "That otter was a good friend. I have bad news too. I learned somethin' upsettin', but we can talk about it later, wot. The important thing is we're all free now."

All of a sudden there was a commotion behind a pile of rocks. Felldoh the squirrel emerged into view, dragging a rat along with him.

"I found this vermin lurking about on the shore," he said. "He's probably a spy!"

"No! No!" the rat sobbed. "My name is Oilback. I'm the one that tried to kill Nightmare Moon."

"Were you the rat that bumped into me last night?" asked Brome.

"Aye, Clogg ordered me to kill the horse by throwing a knife at her, but I accidentally slew a vole instead."

"Ah, yes, that must have been Druwp. He won't be missed," said Felldoh.

"Nightmare Moon caught me and I had to make a run for it. I'm not safe in Nightmare Fortress anymore!"

Brome scratched his head. "How did you get out though? You weren't in the escape tunnel with us."

Oilback explained, "In all the commotion, I opened the front gate and just walked out."

"Hey, why didn't we think of that?" an old mousewife named Geum asked.

Oilback clasped his paws and fell to his knees. "You ain't going to kill me, are you? I won't do you any harm, I just want to get as far away from Nightmare Fortress as I can!"

"Tell you what, old chap," Joshy said. "Why don't you join up with us? We'll escape together."

Felldoh stamped his footpaw. "He's a vermin!"

"Well, Brome an' I had to cooperate with vermin to escape the prison pit. Maybe this fella Oilback can be of use to us. Besides, I don't think one lone rat could do us a great deal of harm, wot wot?"

Felldoh looked to Brome. "What do you think?"

Brome considered. "What Joshy says makes sense. Why don't we let him stay with us?"

"All right," said the squirrel. "I trust your judgement, Brome. You got us out of prison. We'll bring the rat along."

"Thank you, sirs," Oilback sighed.

"You're quite welcome," said Joshy. "My name's William David Truman Joshua Stag Hare, but you can call me Joshy."

"And I'm Brome," said Brome.

"I'm Felldoh," said Felldoh.

"I am Groot," said a mouse named Groot.

"We'd better get movin'," said Joshy. "I can't imagine old Nightmare Moon lettin' us off that easy. She an' the horde are probably out lookin' for us."

 **TO BE CONTINUING:** _Who will find them first, Nightmayor Moon or Clog? And will Marian and Calista reach Equestrians? The suspense is mountain._


	20. Chapter 20

**RECAP:** _He salves have gotten away, buy Nightmare Moon and Clogg are pursuing them. Also, Josh found out that Dis cord his is father._

Martin and his friends had left the rabbits and were continuing their journey.

"I wonder what the bad fortune is that awaits us back at Nightmare Fortress," Rose said to Martin.

Martin laughed. "Nothing's going to happen. I'll take care of you, Rose, don't worry."

"But the rabbit said bad fortune awaited us if we returned."

"Well, how could he know? He's never even been to Nightmare Fortress."

"It sounds like fortune telling to me," Celestia agreed. "And that's a very imprecise branch of magic."

"I don't know," Skalrag said. "Many foxes have been seers. They have visions of things that happened many seasons ago, or things happening hundreds of miles away, or even in the future."

Martin snorted. "I don't think foxes can really see the future. They just pretend to, to manipulate others."

"Maybe in ninety-nine cases out of a hundred, that's true," said Skalrag. "But I've known at least one fox, a vixen, who really had the sight. She would say things were going to befall and then they did. We grew up in the same village, before I became a corsair. Her name was Nightshade."

"I think we're just going to have to agree to disagree, my friend," said Martin.

The fox put a paw to his face, wiping away imaginary tears. "Friend? You consider me your friend now? Oh, that's so touching. I'm just near to tears."

Just then Celestia stopped. They had come to a stream. "This is the Broadstream," she said. "Once we cross it, we'll be in Equestria. I can take you across on my back, one by one."

"Hurr, can us'ns stop and have lunch furst?" Grumm asked.

"But we don't have anything to cook," Celestia reminded him.

"I can catch us a fish in the stream," Skalrag said. "Martin, you still have that net you took from the shrew village, right?"

"Sure." Martin handed the net to him.

"All right, but be careful. There are some sea serpents living in there," Celestia said. Skalrag was sure she was joking. She was actually dead serious, but he didn't see any serpents anyway as he scooped up a fish in his net in no time at all. Grumm started to build a fire to cook it.

Suddenly a gruff voice called, "Who's tresspassin' on my territory?"

A big hedgehog came crashing through the undergrowth, waving a stick. There was a piece missing from one of his ears and he had a bunch of earrings in his other ear. His fur was stained purple, every inch.

"Nice color," Skalrag said sarcastically. "What happened to your ear?"

The hedgehog swung the stick at him. Skalrag only just ducked in time. "Get off my property, you fish thievin' vermin!"

Rose grabbed hold of the stick before the hedgehog could swing it again. "We're sorry, sir. We didn't know this was your property."

The hedgehog tugged fitfully at the stick. "Let go of my stick, kid. You're no better than you should be!"

"No better than you should be?" Skalrag repeated. "What the heck does that mean?"

There was no danger from the hedgehog, but he was becoming very tiresome with his insults and rantings. Celestia spoke sternly to him.

"Keep a civil tongue in your head, and stop waving that stick about- or I'll take it from you!"

He seemed to notice Celestia for the first time, and instantly his mood changed. "Oh, a pony creature. Ponies are the nicest an' wisest creatures alive. Accept my apologies."

"What apologies?" Skalrag said.

"My name is Coldsteel the Hedgehog."

"And my name is Martin the Warrior," said Martin. "These are my friends, Rose, Celestia, Grumm, and Skalrag." He gestured to each of them as he named them.

"Nothin' personal, kid," said Coldsteel the Hedgehog, shaking Martin's paw. "But I have to keep away intruders. Would you an' your friends like something to drink? My house is right over there, beyond those trees." He trotted away without waiting for an answer.

"I don't trust this creature," said Celestia.

Skalrag seemed to agree, because he was saying to himself, "Coldsteel- that was a name somewhere or other. Where have I heard that before?"

Rose was taken aback. "I'm surprised at you, Princess! You mustn't judge other beasts so harshly."

Martin said, "He's a hedgehog. Hedgehogs aren't bad guys."

"Thurr's good and bad among all, and he looks loik riffraff to Oi," said Grumm.

"Coldsteel, Coldsteel, Coldsteel, Coldsteel," Skalrag muttered. "Who or what was this Coldsteel?"

"I say we follow him," Martin insisted. "The five of us ought to be a match for one hedgehog if he turns out to be an enemy."

So they followed Coldsteel to his house. The hedgehog led them to the kitchen, where he filled five glasses with a scented amber liquid and set them on the table.

"Ooh, that looks nice," Rose said. "What is it?"

"It's called mead. I make it from honey and water. Try it, kid, it's real good."

Celestia was still suspicious. "Let's see you drink it first." She handed him her glass.

The hedgehog drained it in one go. "See? Harmless."

Rose giggled. "Well, there can't be much wrong with it if he can swig it down like that!"

Martin took a sip, proclaiming, "Great seasons, this is delicious. What did ye say this was made from?"

"Just honey an' fresh springwater, nothing else," replied Coldsteel. "But you're not doing it right, kid. You gotta drink the whole thing without stoppin', like I did."

Grumm chugged his drink down. "Et tasters gurtly sweet. Ee'll 'ave to tell Oi the ressipery furr ee hunny drink, zurr. The critters at Noonvale wudd h'enjoy et!"

"Oh, it's wonderful, I've never tasted anything like it!" Rose exclaimed.

"I told you, Rose, absolutely delicious, eh, Celestia?"

"You can say that again, Martin, a real pretty drop of stuff. Good health to one an' all!"

Coldsteel poured them another round of drinks, and another.

When Celestia next spoke, her voice sounded strange. "There'sh no alcohol in thish, ish there?"

Rose hiccupped. "Heehee, course there'sh no alkyhall. He shed it wash only made from funny an' string daughter. Wait, tha's rot, night. Heeheehee. Whoooogolly me!" Letting her glass slip, she curled over, asleep. Celestia flopped over beside her as her eyes closed. Skalrag was slumped over the table.

Grumm blinked blearily. "Fie on ee, you'm maked uz drunken!" His voice didn't sound much different because moles always sound kinda drunk. He leaned back in his chair and fell over.

Martin tried to control himself. Leaping upright, he staggered about. His vision was getting blurry. He wagged his shrew sword at the hog. "You… you did sump'n to that drink, didn't ye? Poison. Hah! If anythin' happens t'my friends, I warn ye…" He fell flat, banging his head on the table. He lay on the floor, senseless to the world.

"Psst… Nothin' personal, kid," said Coldsteel. He took out a wicked looking knife. "It's not poison. It's just honey an' water, like I told you. But when honey sits for a long time, it starts to ferment. It turns into alcohol, and we call that mead. I've been drinking it for years, so I'm used to it. But other beasts aren't, it's way too strong for 'em!"

"But I didn't have any," said a voice.

Skalrag stood upright. He had only been pretending to drink, and was actually pouring his mead in the garbage can. "I remember who you are now, hedgepig. You were one of those who fought against Badrang when he first took over the Eastern Coasts."

"Yes, and in the final battle I lost a piece of my ear, which is why I don't not have a part of my ear, so stop askin' me why. That's why," Coldsteel evilled. "Then Discord corrupted me and turned me evil, and now my job is to catch slaves that escape from Marshank!"

"Well, I'm afraid I can't let you take my friends back," said Skalrag. "And besides, Badrang is dead now, and Marshank isn't called Marshank anymore. Now an alicorn named Nightmare Moon is in charge, and it's called Nightmare Fortress."

Coldsteel sneered. "Oh, yes, I know all about that. Discord called and told me days ago. He also told me that you were no longer part of the horde and you were a slave now. I remember you fondly, fox. You helped kill my family. The others I'll send back, but I'm going to have a little fun with you!"

Fast as a fox, which he was, Skalrag knocked over the garbage can. The mead he had dumped in there came pouring out.

"Nooo! Don't spill it!" Coldsteel cried. He leaped forward and slipped on the liquid. His head hit the floor. Then he was out as cold as the others.

"Nothing personal," Skalrag growled. "Isn't that what you said? Well, it's nothing personal, but I won't let you hurt my friends. I'm going to help free the rest of those slaves one day, and you can't stop me!"

Skalrag poured cold water over his friends to wake them up.

Rose was up on her paws. "Ooh my head, what happened?"

Martin sat up. "That hedgehog put poison or something in our drinks," he gasped.

Skalrag shook his head. "It wasn't poison, it was just alcohol."

"But he said it was only made from honey and water," Celestia objected, stumbling to her hooves.

"Honey becomes alcoholic after it ferments for a while," the fox explained. "Didn't you know that?"

"No, Equestria's a dry country."

"Figures," the fox snorted. "What sheltered lives you pony types must lead. Anyway, I kept an eye on him, and only pretended to drink my mead. Then I poured some on the floor and he slipped and hit his head."

"Oi wunder who he'm wurr," said Grumm.

"I thought I recognized him right away, but now I know. He's a slave catcher; he works for Badrang." Skalrag gave the unconscious hedgehog a contemptuous kick.

"Why would a hedgehog do something like that?" Celestia asked.

"He said he was turned evil by Discord."

"He _said_ he was turned evil by Discord?" Rose repeated. "So he knows he's evil, but he's still being evil?"

"It's just as I said," said Celestia. "Discord can make anyone do anything."

"Not me," Martin boasted. "He'd never fool me."

Skalrag pried the knife out of Coldsteel's paw. "Want me to run him through right now so that he wakes up in Hellgates?"

Celestia shook her head. "No, we do not need unnecessary killing, Skalrag. Maybe when we get the Elements of Harmony, we can come back here and heal him."

"You've mentioned these Elements of Harmony before, but you still haven't explained what they are," said Martin.

Celestia got a far off look in her eyes. "The elements of Harmony are the most powerful magic known to Ponydom. They look like little necklaces, and each one represents a different aspect of friendship. Honesty, kindness, laughter, generosity, loyalty, and magic. When all six of them are together, they can accomplish amazing things."

"Let's get out of here before old purple spikes wakes up," said Skalrag.

They hurried out of Coldsteel's house.

"There's a town called Ponyville not far from here," said Celestia. "When we get there, we can take a train to Canterlot, where I live."

Grumm scratched his velvety head. "Hurr, wot bees a train?"

Celestia laughed. "Oh, just wait and see, my friends. Wait and see."

 **TOBY CONTINUED:** _They have nearly retched Equistar, but when they get back to the coast, well they be able to dwarf Discord and Nightmare Moon? As Celestial says, wait and see…_


	21. Chapter 21

**RECAP:** _Team Martin has jus mad it to Equestria, while Team Joshy is on the run from Knightmare Moon._

The escaped slaves had been walking north along the beach, but soon they reached a high cliff and could go no further.

"What are we going to do now?" Oilback wondered.

Brome set his jaw. "We'll have to climb up those cliffs. We need to put as much distance as possible between ourselves and Nightmare Moon."

"But we can't make it up there!" Joshy cried. "There's no flippin' footholds or pawholds, wot!"

Just then a rope came flying over the cliff edge. "Here, amigos!" a voice called. "Get on the ropes! Come up here!" More ropes followed.

Geum, the old mousewife, stared at the ropes. "I'll never be able to haul myself up that rope. What d'you think I am, a young squirrel?"

"Well, I'm a young squirrel," said Felldoh, "and you'll be a dead mouse if you hang about here much longer. It's either climb up the ropes or stand round waiting to be recaptured!"

He mounted a rope and began pulling himself along paw over paw.

"I am Groot!" Groot declared as he followed Felldoh's example.

Joshy took a deep breath. "All right. Come on, Joshy. Brace up, Stag. If y'don't try now, you never will. I say, I made a rhyme! No, wait, I didn't." He started to climb, letting his ears flop over his eyes so he didn't have to look down.

Eventually, all of them made it up there, although Felldoh had to come back down and carry Geum up. They found Queen Ambala and her pigmy shrew tribe waiting for them on top.

"I say, thanks awfully for chuckin' those bally vine down to us," Joshy chuckled.

"Are you the hare called Joshy Stag?" the queen inquired.

"Why yes, but how did you know that? Am I famous now, for bein' a wizard?"

Brome elbowed him. "Martin probably met up with them and told them about us."

"Si," Ambala agreed. "He came to our village and told us that Badrang was dead. It seemed to us that now was the time to strike back against the vermin. We shrews have been oppressed for too long."

Felldoh clapped his paws together. "I like the sound of that! We'll go to war and run them out of town!"

"Felldoh, we haven't got a tenth of the force that Nightmare Moon commands," his father Barkjon cautioned him. Wow, that's the first time he's made an appearance in this story. "We're not strong enough yet, lives could be lost needlessly in an attack on Nightmare Fortress."

"I'm not talking about pitched battle, Father. I'm talking about lightning attacks. Hit hard and fast, then vanish. We escaped, didn't we? Who's to say we can't become a first rate fightin' force and whack them for good?"

Brome said, "I think your dad's right, Felldoh. None of us have been in a real battle before, except maybe the shrews. Nightmare Moon is evil and Nightmare Fortress needs destroying, but she has a horde of seasoned killers and trained fighters, while all we have are a small bunch of freed slaves and a tribe of pigmy shrews."

"And a wizard," Felldoh argued, pointing at Joshy.

Joshy avoided Felldoh's eyes. "I may be a wizard, but I'm no warrior, wot."

Geum threw up her paws. "All this talk of fighting and killing, why don't we just find another place far from here, where we can enjoy life. Leave Nightmare Moon to her own devices and forget about the whole nasty thing!"

Ambala's eyes blazed. "I'll tell you why. Porque if the evil one is still there and the fortress still stands, then other animales will be captured and taken as slaves. I have a little nino, and I would fight with my life so that he could grow up a free creature!"

Felldoh sprang up applauding her brave words. "Well said, marm. Spoken like a true queen! We know what it's like to live under the whips of a tyrant. It's not life, it's living death!"

"Well, I'll tell you what we need to do before we do anything else," said Joshy.

"What's that?" asked Brome.

"Eat! I'm flippin' famished! I'm so hungry, I could ride a horse, wot wot! Wait, that doesn't make any sense. Well, I could ride it to the store, I s'pose. But instead I'll make you chaps some… FRIED CHICKEN!"

And there it was, just like before. A whole bunch of fried chicken. Everybeast set about the spread. Joshy beamed, proud that he'd been able to utilize the one aspect of his magic he felt he had control over.

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Ponyville proved to be a nice little town. Martin had never seen so many ponies in one place before. All of them were up and about, some at work, some playing, and little colts going off to school. But he didn't see any that looked quite like Celestia. He mentioned this to her.

"Yes, there are three main races of ponies," said Celestia. "Unicorns, who have magical horns, pegasi, who have wings, and earth ponies, who are just regular ponies."

"But you have a horn and wings, and so does your sister," said Rose.

"That's right. Luna and I are alicorns. There are only a handful of us in the entire world," Celestia said proudly.

"So was one of your parents a unicorn and the other a Pegasus?" asked Skalrag.

The pony princess shrugged. "I have no memory of my parents. I don't know where I came from, or why I am what I am. That's just how it is."

By that point they had got to the train station. "Five tickets for the next train to Canterlot, please," said Celestia.

The pony at the counter was surprised to see two talking mice, a mole, and a fox walking around, but she gave Celestia the tickets. Then Celestia led Martin, Rose, Grumm, and Skalrag to the train.

"I've never seen anything like this before," Rose said. "Are you sure it's safe?"

Celestia laughed. "Don't worry. In this country we ride trains all the time."

They got in. The whistle blew, and the train set off.

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Captain Clogg was sitting in Badrang's old chair, drinking wine and slopping it everywhere again. He picked his teeth with the bones of a herring he had eaten.

"Brains, that's wot y'need to outsail yer enemies, brains!" he said to Crosstooth the fox.

"An' you've certainly got 'em, Cap'n. You fooled ole Nightmare Moon!" The fox shook his head admiringly.

Clogg's huge stomach shook with merriment. "Me and my crew will find the slaves before you, sez I. Then she rushes out with all her crew, trying to beat me to the punch. But we didn't go out looking for the slaves, did we? Instead, while Nightmare Moon was away, we goes straight round the back o' the fortress, over the wall, an' captures it for ourselves. Haharrharharr."

"I know that already, Captain, I was there, remember?"

"Is the gate locked, matey?"

Crosstooth poured himself a beaker of wine. "Locked, barred, an' bolted tight, Cap'n. The crew is on the walls, well fed an' armed to the fangs!"

Clogg lost the fishbone in his stomach plaits and forgot it. "All waitin' for pore Nightmare _Loon_ to come visitin' with her tail atwixt her legs an' a flea in her ear. Hahaharr!"

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Will Clog can maintain the control of the fortress? Will Nightmare Man find the slaves? Find out soon…_


	22. Chapter 22

**REAP:** _Tea Martin as reached Equestrian. Team Joshy has join up with the shrews. Clogg has taken over Nightmare Fortress._

Felldoh's sharp eyes glimpsed an unwelcome sight in the distance. "Uh-oh. Looks like we've got some company."

"Nightmare Moon?" asked Joshy.

"Nightmare Moon," the squirrel confirmed.

There she was, running across the shore, with all of her horde.

"Everybeast keep still," Brome cautioned. "Maybe they won't look up."

But just then Discord appeared on the clifftop out of nowhere. He smiled an evil smile. "Nightmare Moon! I've found them, they're all up here!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. Down below, Nightmare Moon's head turned in the direction of the cliff.

" _ **THERE THEY ARE!"**_ she yelled. _**"ATTACKETH! KILLETH!"**_ The entire horde charged toward them.

"I say, sah, you're an absolute rotter!" Joshy cried.

Discord grinned and whispered to the hare, "Bit of a nasty surprise for you, isn't it? You thought I was on your side cause I helped you escape. I'm on nobody's side but my own!"

Joshy had never felt so angry in his life. He rushed at Discord, but Discord simply teleported down to the ground. Joshy tripped over his own feet and if he'd been a few paces closer to the cliff edge, he would have gone over.

" _ **ARCHERS! FIRE!"**_ Nightmare Moon commanded. Many of the vermin had bows and arrows and they launched a deadly salvo at the beasts on the cliff. One arrow went right between Joshy's ears. Brome grabbed him and dragged him backwards, out of range of the arrows. Many others weren't so fortunate, though.

Felldoh dived into action. He gave a nearby boulder a push and it rolled over the cliff, crushing many vermin as it fell.

Hisk the weasel lowered his bow. He was shaking uncontrollably. "They killed Bugpaw and Flink!"

All the soldiers began backing away from the cliff.

Nightmare Moon stomped her hoof, raising a cloud of sand. _**"YE BOTTLENOSED BLOATERS, KEEPETH SHOOTING! DON'T STOPPETH! THAT'S AN ORDER FROM THY QUEEN!"**_

They stood awkwardly, unwilling to charge.

Nightmare Moon paced back and forth in front of them. _**"YE'RE NOTHING BUT A PACK OF RING-TAILED COWARDS! ONE LITTLE STONE AND YE ACTETH LIKE BEETLES IN A BUCKET. CHAAAAARGE!"**_

She rushed at the cliff herself. Her words had briefly galvanized the horde. They attempted to regroup and make another charge, but they lost all heart when more boulders came sliding down, as other beasts on the cliff followed Felldoh's example. The charge deteriorated into an undignified retreat. Vermin were running in all directions, trying to avoid the boulders, but some of them couldn't escape being crushed as the rocks rolled over them. Even Nightmare Moon found herself directly in a boulder's path and had to fly into the air to save herself. Discord actually did get flattened by a boulder, but he sprang right back up, inflating like a balloon.

The alicorn perched on top of a boulder that had come to rest. She looked scornfully at her surviving troops, who had all flopped down a good distance away from the cliff.

" _ **MUCKHEADS!"**_ she screamed. _**"**_ _ **I**_ _ **ART NOT AFRAID OF A FEW RAGTAG SLAVES! I'LL RECAPTURE THEM MYSELF!"**_

She flew into the air, high above Joshy, Brome, Felldoh, and the others.

" _ **HERE'S A LESSON FOR YE: NEVER TRY TO ESCAPETH BY CLIMBING FROM A CREATURE WHO CAN FLY!"**_ she cackled. _**"PITY YE WON'T BE ABLE TO APPLY IT!"**_

Suddenly a knife came flying through the air toward her. It went right through her wing.

Oilback the searat grinned. "I got to sling my frogsticker at Nightmare Moon after all. Clogg would be proud!"

Nightmare Moon was listing around crazily, blood dripping from her wing. _**"I'LL KILLETH YE ALL!"**_ she shrieked as she dove at the group.

Without knowing what he was doing, his eyes squinched tight, Joshy threw up his paws. There was a loud noise like an explosion and Nightmare Moon fell to the ground. Everybeast ran to the edge of the cliff and looked over. She was just lying there, not moving.

"Is she dead?" Brome hazarded.

But she wasn't dead. She leaped to her feet.

" _ **THIS ISN'T OVER! I'LL BE BACK FOR YE! I'LL BE BACK FOR ALL THY LIVES! I AM NIGHTMARE MOON!"**_

"I am Groot!" Groot yelled back at her.

Nightmare Moon staggered away, and Discord followed her, smirking back over his shoulder.

Face red, Joshy shook his fist at Discord. "Discord, you're a bloomin' traitor, an' you ain't my pater!" he shouted. He actually did make a rhyme that time, but he was too upset to notice. Discord made no reply.

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"Are you all right, Empress?" Hisk asked. "You look like you've been hurt pretty bad."

Nightmare Moon made the angry face at him. _**"I'M STILL FIT ENOUGH TO RUN YE THROUGH WITH MY HORN OR STOMPLE YE TO DEATH WITH MY HOOVES! BUT YE WON'T GIVE ME CAUSE TO DO THAT… WILL YE?"**_

Hisk held up his paws placatingly. "N-no, Empress. I'm still loyal to ye!"

" _ **GOOD. KEEPETH**_ _**IT THAT WAY."**_

They went back to Nightmare Fortress, but when they tried to open the gates, they found them locked. They could hear drunken voices singing inside.

"Clogg and his lot must have taken over the fortress!" said Discord, not even trying to hide the mirth in his voice. Things were really getting exciting now!

"Sounds like they're 'avin' a fine old time in there," said a weasel named Findo. He wished he could be singing and feasting with Clogg's crew in there now, but he knew it was unwise to say so out loud.

Nightmare Moon smiled evilly. _**"NOT FOR LONG. FOLLOW ME. I'LL GUTTETH ANYBEAST WHO MAKETH A SOUND."**_

They followed her, tiptoeing around the side of the fortress.

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Joshy and Oilback were the heroes of the hour, having driven off Nightmare Moon for the moment. "You were marvelous!" Groot's wife Purslane exclaimed.

"I am Groot," said Groot.

Joshy took an outrageously leggy bow, clapping his ears together comically. "Thank you dear creatures, thank you one an' all!"

Oilback felt a bit uneasy, receiving praise from creatures who would normally be his enemies, but he smiled back at the crowd.

"Nightmare Moon was absolutely terrifying!" said Geum. "I'd hate to see two creatures like her fight each other!"

"We've won our first battle," Felldoh said. "Hey, Ambala, do you still have your ropes?"

"Si. Por que?"

"I'd like to go down there and see if I can collect any weapons off the vermin that died."

"Bueno idea," said the shrew queen.

Shrews lowered ropes, and Felldoh and some others shinned down them.

Brome tugged on Joshy's elbow, and the two of them walked a short distance away from the rest of the group.

"Why were you so angry at Discord?" Brome asked. "I know he betrayed us after giving us the plan to break everybeast out, but it seemed like there was something more behind it."

Joshy nodded. He didn't say anything for a moment, but finally he told the mouse. "Earlier today, before I rejoined the rest of you chaps, I met up with Discord. He told me he was my father."

Brome was aghast. "I can't imagine having that horrible guy for a dad. Do you think he was lying?"

"Well, he strikes me as a chap who prob'ly lies a great deal, but what he said made a lot of sense. If he really is my pater, that explains why I can do magic an' so can he."

"Well, remember, just because your father is an evil guy, that doesn't mean you're evil too," Brome said.

The hare chuckled dryly. "Better'n bein' me own father, I s'pose, wot wot!"

 **TO BEE CONTINUED:** _Will Koshy ever master his powers? Will Nightmare Noon take back Nightmare Garters? These questing will be answer presently, but for the next captor we lost look back on Martin and Celestial. We will learn Celestia's plane for dwarfing the evil ones._ __


	23. Chapter 23

**RECAP:** _Nigh Mare fought a battle with the woodlanders but they manage to drive her off. She return to the fortress to find that Glug had blocked her out._

The sun hung low in the sky when the train pulled into Canterlot. At this time in Equestria's history, the town wasn't as large as it is now. There were just a few houses, with a big castle right in the middle.

"Is that your castle?" Rose asked, awed.

"Sure is," Celestia answered.

Martin was impressed by the sight of the palace. "I've never seen a building this size before. Do you live there all by yourself?"

"Well, of course my sister normally lives with me," said Celestia. "And we also have six friends that stay in the castle with us. Here come two of them now."

A pink earth pony and a yellow Pegasus were running toward them. The pink one was jumping up and down excitedly. She wore a hat made of chocolate pudding.

"Celestia!" she cried. "You're home! Did you find your sister? Is she following along? Will she be here soon?"

"Slow down, Chancellor Puddinghead!" Celestia laughed. "I'll tell you everything at dinner."

The yellow Pegasus had been quiet, but she let out a high pitched squeal when she saw Grumm. "Is that a mole? Oh, how cute!" She couldn't help rushing over to Grumm and giving him a hug.

"OMG, I didn't think moles existed anymore!" the pink pony said excitedly.

"Are you a little mole? Yes you are," the yellow pony cooed.

Grumm's face was red. "Oi won't be a moler much longer if you'm going to keep a-squeezin' an' 'uggin' Oi," he gasped out.

Instantly she released him. "Oh, my goodness, I'm so sorry. I didn't realize I was hurting you. Ooh, I could just stroke your velvety fur forever!"

"These are two of my most trusted friends. The earth pony is Chancellor Puddinghead and the Pegasus is named Pansy," said Celestia.

Martin and his friends introduced themselves. Then Celestia told Puddinghead and Pansy to gather the rest of her cabinet and meet at the castle for dinner.

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Martin sat between Rose and Celestia at the table. Platters and trays were heaped high with salads, cheeses, breads, and pastas whose contents he could only guess at.

Around the table were Celestia's friends, who helped her run Equestria. There was a white unicorn named Princess Platinum. The "Princess" title was a holdover from back before the three tribes of unicorns, pegasi, and earth ponies were united under Celestia and Luna. Back then, Princess Platinum had been the ruler of the unicorns. Now she was Celestia's royal treasurer. She was very generous and always shared with everypony. That was why she wielded the Element of Generosity.

There was a purple unicorn named Clover the Clever. She was so clever that she was in charge of all the schools and libraries in Equestria. She also possessed a great talent for magic, so much so that she was the wielder of the Element of Magic.

Commander Hurricane was a blue Pegasus with all the colors of the rainbow streaked in her mane, the leader of Princess Celestia's armies. She represented the Element of Loyalty because she steadfastly remained faithful to her friends all the time.

Pansy, the small yellow Pegasus they had met earlier, was Commander Hurricane's constant companion. Sweet and considerate, she wielded the Element of Kindness.

The pink earth pony, Chancellor Puddinghead, organized entertainments in the kingdom such as parties and games. She was very popular. She could make anybeast laugh and smile, so she wielded the Element of Laughter.

Finally, there was an orange earth pony, Smart Cookie. An expert farmer, she was in charge of the agriculture in Equestria. She was also known for her honesty. You could always count on her to tell the truth in any situation, even if it was uncomfortable. That's why she held the Element of Honesty.

Martin and Rose were sharing a big long plate of spaghetti. They were slurping noodles but it turned out that they were both sucking on the same one and then Rose pushed a meatball across the plate and turned away all embarrassed like in Lady and the Tramp.

"I'd like to live in a castle like this someday," said Martin. "But maybe a red one."

Chancellor Puddinghead took a huge bite of cherry cake glazed with candied nuts. It took a while for her to swallow it all. Grumm watched her and chuckled. "Burr hurrhurr, doan't boite off more'n you'm can chew, Pudden'ead!" He didn't know that was her actual name.

Smart Cookie was sitting next to him. She offered him a dish. "Try mah apple an' chestnut pasty," she drawled. "Here, let me pour some apple an' radish sauce on it for ya."

Grumm dug in gratefully. "Thankee, marm. Most koind of ee, marm."

"Marm? What do ya think Ah am, some old mare?" she laughed. "Mah name is Cookie, darlin'. Have ya tasted the apple cider? Mah family brews it."

"I'm kinda sensing a theme here," said Skalrag.

When everybeast had eaten all they could hold, Princess Celestia tapped on a glass with a fork to get their attention.

"I did find my sister," she said. "But I discovered she's under the spell of an evil creature named Discord!"

"Discord? What in the hay is Discord?" Commander Hurricane demanded.

"I know what he is. I've read about him," said Clover. "Discord is an evil creature made from body parts of a bunch of different animals, with the head of a pony. He can corrupt good animals and turn them evil."

"And that's just what he did to Luna," said Celestia. "Now she's calling herself Nightmare Moon and she lives in a castle called Nightmare Fortress. She's commanding an evil army of rats and weasels and she keeps other animals as slaves!"

"And I used to be one of the slaves, and so was this fox here, Skalrag," Martin put in. "We were beaten and starved, and imprisoned in a pit."

"WHAT?" Hurricane shouted. "That really wrinkles my sprinkles. No creature should be a slave to another!"

"Yes, freedom and library should be given to all," agreed Clover.

"Oh, I can't imagine it, we've always been free!" Pansy gasped.

"It's disgraceful," Princess Platinum grumbled.

"So we're gonna put a stop to it, right? You have a plan, right?" Puddinghead was bouncing frantically up and down on her seat.

"Yes, I have a plan," said Celestia. "Luna is only acting this way because of Discord. The only thing that can defeat Discord is the Elements of Harmony. You can use your Elements to turn him to stone."

"But won't that hurt him?" Pansy asked timidly.

"No, it'll be just like falling asleep to him," said Celestia. "And when he turns to stone, hopefully Luna will return to normal."

"This is your big plan?" Skalrag asked in disbelief. "Seems like it has a lot of holes in it. What if your sister doesn't go back to normal after you turn Discord into a statue?"

Celestia's face darkened. "If that happens, I have a plan for that too, but hopefully it won't."

"You haven't known our princess as long as we have," Clover assured the fox. "She always knows what to do. You can trust her."

"So are you all with me?" Celestia asked.

"We are!" everybeast cried, even Skalrag.

"Good. We'll head back to Nightmare Fortress first thing tomorrow."

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _What they are able to defeat Disco and Nightmare Boon? It's really coming down to the wire now._


	24. Chapter 24

**CAP:** _Celestina is panning an attack on Nightmare Fortress in order to defeat Discord and Lightmare and fee the slaves, but the doesn't know that they've already free. Ow we look back on them._

Felldoh was taking stock of the weapons they had recovered from the slain hordebeasts.

"I found three knives, a spear, and four slings," he said. They were piled in front of him on the ground.

Purslane added an axe and a sword to Felldoh's weapons. "I managed to get these."

"I am Groot," Groot said as he tossed a dagger onto the pile.

"I found my own throwin' knife where it fell after I threw it at Nightmare Moon," said Oilback.

Others added their contributions.

"I got this long pike."

"Pouchful of slingstones, a sling, and this iron hook."

"Some of the arrows the vermin were shooting at us found their way up here," said an otter named Tullgrew. "We could use them as daggers."

Felldoh looked around at the group, counting heads. "There's about 22 of us, not counting the shrews, who have their own short swords. I think we've found enough weapons for almost everybeast to have his or her own."

"But the vermin still outnumber us," said Brome. "There must be almost a hundred of them, counting both Nightmare Moon's guys and Clogg's guys. We shouldn't engage them unless absolutely necessary."

Felldoh was wild to attack Nightmare Fortress right then and there, but he saw the wisdom in Brome's words. "At least if they try to attack us again, we'll be ready this time."

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Clogg had fallen asleep in Nightmare Moon's office. He slumped over the table, snoring and drooling. Suddenly there came a knock on the door.

Clogg blinked drowsily awake. "Is that you, Crosstooth? Any sign of Nightmare Loon yet, matey?"

" _ **WHAT DIDST THOU JUST CALLETH ME?"**_ The door burst open and Nightmare Moon appeared in the doorway, illuminated by the rays of the setting sun. _**"GETTEST THY BRAIDED BEHIND OFF MY CHAIR, CLOGG!"**_

The corsair was so surprised that the chair fell over backwards as he tried to lurch up.

" _ **GOETH ON, CLOGG. ASKETH ME HOW I GOTTETH HERE,"**_ Nightmare Moon taunted.

"'Ow did you get 'ere?" the corsair spluttered from his position on the floor.

Nightmare Moon smirked. _**"IF THOU HADST AS MUCH BRAIN IN THY HEAD AS THOU HAD FAT IN THY GUT, THEE WOULD KNOWETH. I CAMETH IN THROUGH THE TUNNEL THAT THE SLAVES ESCAPED FROM. YE CAN GO BOTH WAYS THROUGH IT, IN OR OUT. OBVIOUSLY THOU DIDST NOT THINK OF THAT, SWILLHEAD! DIDST ACTUALLY THINKETH THOU COULDST TAKETH MY FORTRESS FROM ME?"**_

Clogg was mighty scared, but he grinned in a disarming manner. "Matey, who said anything about takin' yer fortress from ye? Why, I was only mindin' it until you returned after chasin' those pesky slaves. Ho, by the way…"

Without warning he sprang up, grabbed the beaker of wine he'd been drinking from, and hurled it right at Nightmare Moon's face. It shattered on her head, incapacitating her long enough for Clogg to dodge past her and run outside.

As he jogged across the courtyard, he glimpsed his crew bound together in a corner, guarded by Nightmare Moon's horde, but there was nothing he could do to help them. He had to concentrate on saving himself.

" _ **STOPPETH HIM! KILLETH HIM!"**_ Nightmare Moon's voice rang out behind him.

Clogg made a beeline for the front gate as the soldiers began to give chase. Findo the weasel was standing in front of the gate but Clogg ran right over him. He managed to make it outside before they could kill him.

Nightmare Moon flapped lopsidedly after him in a rage. She chased the stoat to the edge of the cliff that Nightmare Fortress was situated on. She was just about to perform a deadly spell with her horn when Clogg threw himself off the cliff and into the ocean below. There was a tremendous splash.

Nightmare Moon looked down, but she couldn't see him anywhere.

Hisk caught up with her. "Where'd he go?"

" _ **HE JUMPED INTO THE SEA."**_

The weasel gazed down into the waves. "Well, he must be as good as dead out there, milady."

" _ **AND IF HE EVER COMETH BACK, WE'LL KILLETH HIM,"**_ Nightmare Moon agreed. _**"D'YE HEAR THAT, CLOGG? IF YE EVER COME BACK, WE'LL KILL YE!"**_

They went back inside and confronted Clogg's former crew.

" _ **PAY ATTENTION, YE CORSAIRS. YE HAVE THREE SIMPLE CHOICES. ONE IS SLAVERY. I HATH NO SLAVES TO SERVETH ME AT THE MOMENT. TWO IS DEATH. YE CAN STAY LOYAL TO CLOGG, AND FOR THAT YE WILL BE EXECUTED. THE THIRD AND FINAL CHOICE IS THAT YE SWEARETH ALLEGIANCE TO ME AND JOINETH MY HORDE AS SOLIDERS. WELL, WHAT IS IT TO BE?"**_

It did not take anybeast long to decide. The fox Crosstooth struggled upright. "Cut these ropes from me, I'll serve under your colors!"

"Aye, set me loose, I'm with Crosstooth!" the others agreed, to a vermin.

"Me too, matey. I'll be an 'ordebeast!"

"No point in bein' a slave without a ship!"

"Better'n bein' a corsair or gettin' executed!"

" _ **AT LAST, THINGS ART GOING MY WAY,"**_ said Nightmare Moon. _**"SOON THE MOON WILL RISETH IN THE SKY, GIVING ME NEW STRENGTH. THEN I CAN TAKETH REVENGE ON THE SLAVES WHO DARED TO ESCAPE FROM ME!"**_

 **T BE CONTINUED:** _What will her revenge bee? Is Clog alive or dead? The story is nearing its climax._ __


	25. Chapter 25

**REAP:** _Clogg disappeared adder Nightmare Moon chaste him away from the fortress. Then Nightmare Mon said she had a plan to get revenge on the escaped salves._

In Celestia's castle, everybeast was about to turn in for the night. Rose looked out of the window of the guest bedroom she and Martin would share (Grumm and Skalrag were inanother room across the hall) and saw the moon rising in the sky outside.

"Just think," she said to Martin. "The same moon is hanging over Noonvale, where my parents are right now."

Puddinghead and Clover were making up the beds. "I doubt it's the same moon," said Puddinghead. "Noonvale's pretty far away from here."

Martin rolled his eyes. "There's only one moon."

"On this planet, anyway," said Clover.

The two ponies left. Martin and Rose stretched out on their beds.

"Noonvale sounds like a wonderful place, Rose," Martin said. She had told him all about it on the journey. "Maybe when this is all over, I'll go back there with you."

"You'd love Noonvale. You'd be just like part of my family," Rose sighed. "Sweet dreams, Martin." But there wouldn't be any sweet dreams that night.

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Back at Nightmare Fortress, Nightmare Moon was putting her plan into action. As the princess of the night, she possessed the ability to enter other creatures' dreams. Now she would give her enemies a night they would never forget!

On the clifftop, Joshy Stag Hare was dreaming about eating a big bucket of fried chicken. Suddenly all the pieces of chicken came to life and joined together to form one big monster zombie chicken that was the same dark purple color as Nightmare Moon!

" _ **NOW THE EATER BECOMETH THE EATEN!"**_ the purple zombie dream chicken evilled. It chased Joshy around all through his dream until he turned into a paper doll in the dream and all his clothes fell off. He woke with a scream!

Felldoh dreamed he was climbing a tower where a squirrel princess was held captive. "I'm here to save you," he said proudly. "All in a day's work!"

"Oh, Felldoh!" the princess cried and embraced him. But when she touched him, a horn popped out of her head and wings popped out of her back. Felldoh jerked away from her in fear as she morphed into Nightmare Moon!

" _ **THOU ART THE ONE WHO NEEDS RESCUING NOW. TOO BAD YE WON'T BE!"**_ Nightmare Moon cried as she lunged for Felldoh. The squirrel stumbled and fell backwards out the tower window. He woke up just before he hit the ground.

Brome dreamed he was back in his home in Noonvale. Suddenly Nightmare Moon appeared and set his house on fire! Brome tried to escape, but the walls were collapsing all around him.

Nightmare Moon entered the dreams of every creature on that cliff that night and gave them a fright, but she didn't stop there. She also invaded the ponies' dreams back in Equestria.

Clover the Clever, who loved to read, dreamed she was reading a poem about monsters when all the horrors described in the poem actually came to life and gave chase, and all of them had Nightmare Moon's face.

Chancellor Puddinghead was dreaming about making cupcakes. Nightmare Moon sneaked into the kitchen where she was cooking and sprinkled poison into the batter unseen. In the dream, Puddinghead's cupcakes caused the ponies she served them to to turn into dust, and soon the guilt and shame of what she had done began to turn her into stone!

Smart Cookie dreamed about heading to her apple orchard one day to find all the trees dead. She tried her best to revive them, but this only made the spiritual forces of her plants return to scold her. _**"THOU SHOULD HATH TAKEN BETTER CARE OF US,"**_ they boomed.

Nightmare Moon was having a field day, or rather a field night. She went into Commander Hurricane's dream and cut off her wings. She went into Princess Platinum's dream and cut off her horn. She went into Pansy's dream and e-mailed her pictures of dead bunnies.

Rose was dreaming about her parents when Nightmare Moon showed up in the dream and killed them before her eyes. Grumm dreamed he was digging a tunnel. It was a happy dream until Nightmare Moon came and filled in the hole with dirt while the mole was still inside, rendering him unable to move. In Skalrag's dream, she turned into a snake and bit his face, disfiguring him so he had to wear a mask like Slagar the Cruel.

Even Martin had a nightmare. He dreamed that he and Rose came back to Nightmare Fortress. He found his sword and started to fight Nightmare Moon with it, but the alicorn killed Rose by throwing her against a wall like Badrang did in the book.

Celestia didn't have a bad dream, but that was because she couldn't sleep at all that night. She tossed and turned in her bed, worrying about her sister.

Nightmare Moon wanted to give Clogg a nightmare too, but she couldn't find his dream anywhere. She assumed this was because Clogg had drowned in the sea, and was dead now. But if he was alive, he wasn't asleep, she knew that much.

Animals everywhere had awoken. Some were screaming, some fell out of bed, and some had gotten tangled up in their sheets, and some had wet themselves, and some of them were crying, and some of them did other things, and some of them did no things, and this sentence has gone on too long.

The fear she created gave Nightmare Moon energy. The hole in her wing closed. The wounds she'd received when Joshy knocked her out of the sky and Clogg threw the glass in her face healed. She felt more powerful than she ever had in her life!

 **TO BE TONTINE:** _More powerful then ever? That doesn't sound good. Do the good guys have a change at all now?_


	26. Chapter 26

**RECAP:** _Nightmare Moon has bin going into peoples dreams like the Freddy dude from the 13_ _th_ _of Friday movie. The energy she harnessed from there fear maid her moor powerful then ever._

"Did you sleep well?" Princess Celestia asked Martin the next morning at the breakfast table.

"No!" said Martin. "I had a horrible dream."

"Me too," said Rose. "I dreamed Nightmare Moon murdered my parents. What did you dream about, Martin?"

Martin didn't answer. How could he tell Rose that he'd dreamed about her being killed?

Platinum came running into the room. "AAAAAHHH! My horn! My beautiful horn! Is it still attached to me?"

Rose looked at her quizzically. "Of course. Why wouldn't it be?"

It turned out that everybeast in the castle had had a scary dream that night. Princess Celestia knew what was going on. "This must be my sister's doing. She could always enter other creatures' dreams, but now she's turning them into nightmares!"

"Oh no!" cried Pansy.

"Do you think the dreams are gonna come true?" Puddinghead asked.

Celestia reassured her, "Dreams may seem scary at the time, but you must always remember that they cannot really harm you. Dreams and nightmares are never true. They may be similar to things that are true, but it is all in your head. Dreams are figments of your imagination. Sometimes, dreams can be triggered off by things you've done, and the dreams try to warn you by showing you what it's like from another view. Dreams can teach, just like books and lessons can, and some dreams can never be ignored. That is something we all feel, but just remember, dreams are not real and be if you don't let them."

"Well, I still don't ever want to have another night like last night," said Skalrag.

"You won't," Celestia promised. "Today, we're going to march into battle and defeat Discord once and for all. Then Nightmare Moon will be no more and Luna will be herself again."

Martin was confused. "But how can we get back to Nightmare Fortress in one day? It took us a couple of days to get here."

Commander Hurricane laughed. "You've never traveled the Pegasus way before."

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It turned out that the Pegasus way was by flying chariot. When Martin stepped outside, he saw ponies and chariots everywhere. Pegasi were hitched up to the chariots, and the unicorns and earth ponies were climbing into them. Everypony had a spear or a sword. This was Princess Celestia's Royal Army.

Celestia's six friends were all wearing their individual Elements of Harmony. Most of them looked like necklaces, but Clover's Element, the Element of Magic, was a tiara.

Martin, Rose, Skalrag, and Grumm all ended up sitting in one chariot together. It was pulled by Commander Hurricane and Pansy. The woodlanders were a little apprehensive about riding in a flying chariot, but Clover the Clever assured them that the chariots were perfectly calibrated not to tip over.

Princess Celestia spread her majestic wings and took off into the air. All the chariots followed her.

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"Wow, you're looking a lot better today," said Discord. "You don't seem hurt at all anymore. How did you get your strength back?"

" _ **MAYHAP TOMORROW NIGHT I'LL SHOW THEE,"**_ Nightmare Moon sniggered sinisterly.

"No chance, Princess. I don't dream when I sleep," Discord muttered under his breath.

" _ **WHAT DIDST THOU SAY?"**_

"Huh? Oh, er, I said there's no chance you won't mow your enemies down like sheep," Discord said.

" _ **THAT'S THE FIRST SENSIBLE THING THOU HAST EVER SAID. NOW, FETCHETH THE WEASEL HISK AND BRINGETH HIM TO ME. I HATH A SPECIAL JOB FOR HIM,"**_ Nightmare Moon ordered.

Discord went to find Hisk, chuckling. Soon, his plan would come to fruition, a plan that had nothing to do with Nightmare Moon. All the pieces were falling into place.

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The chariots were zooming along like airplanes.

"Hurr, if this be floying, Oi shall never take to et," Grumm groaned. "Bo urr no. If molefolk wurr meant to floi, they'd've been given wings loik ee burds."

The mole was very green. Rose regarded her friend with concern. "Do you feel like you have to throw up?"

"Oi'll be all roight. Yurr, Oi'll be all roight… bowuuurrrggghhh." He barely had time to lean over the side before emptying his stomach of its contents. They happened to be flying over Coldsteel the Hedgehog's house and the vomit landed right on him.

Grumm lost his balance and almost fell out, but Skalrag was sitting next to him and he pulled the mole back into his seat just in time.

"Thankee," Grumm gasped. "Oi'd've been a deadbeast if not fur you'm."

"I can hardly believe it, but you've grown into a real goodbeast in these past few days, Skalrag," said Martin.

The fox was at a loss for words.

 **TO BE CONSIDERED:** _Here's something to think abbot: if Badrang is already dead, who will kills Rose in this story? Nightmare Moon? Discord? Clog? Or… someone else?_


	27. Chapter 27

**RECAP:** _Princess Celestica and Marten is returning to Nightmare Fortress with a army of ponies._

Felldoh picked up a pebble, demonstrating to a small group. "See, an ordinary stone, but it can become a weapon. In paw-to-paw combat you can use it held tight as a club. Hit the foe with it as hard as you can. Or you can throw it. Watch!" He hurled the pebble and struck a stick he had submerged in the sand.

Elsewhere, Oilback was training another group in knife throwing. "Arm right back at shoulder level, paw gripping the handle firmly, lean your head in, take sight at the target, weight on the back footpaw and throw!"

A small hillock daubed with a likeness of Nightmare Moon was pincushioned with four or five blades.

"I say, when are we goin' to break off an' have some jolly old luncheon, wot?" Joshy asked. "An army marches on its stomach an' all that, y'know."

"You just conjured breakfast an hour or two ago, you great flop eared food bin!" said Queen Ambala.

Felldoh was pleased with how things were going. "We've got some pretty good stone slingers here, Brome. You know, I've been thinking. We should call our group the Fur and Freedom Fighters."

"That's a good name," said Brome. "But we've still got to be careful. We're still massively outnumbered."

"We need some jolly old relief troops, wot?" said Joshy. "I wonder if Martin an' them ever made it to the pony place, what was it called?"

"Equestria," said Brome.

Just then a number of great big shadows appeared in the sky. A shrew began dancing up and down. "Look, an ejercito, an army!"

It was Princess Celestia and her army of ponies. The flying chariots circled around until they found a landing spot down on the cliff. As they descended, Joshy and Brome saw some familiar faces in one of them.

"Look, it's my sister Rose, and Grumm, my old molefriend!"

"Martin! Martin the Warrior! Oh, I say, I knew you'd come back, I just knew it, wot? Brought some reinforcements for us, have you? There's a good mouse."

Martin and Rose scrambled out of the chariot and rushed to embrace their friends.

Felldoh stared in awe at the scores of ponies. "Great seasons! Now we have a horde too!"

Princess Celestia flew into the air to get everybeast's attention and perched on one of the few boulders that remained on the cliff.

"Greetings, everybeast! I am Princess Celestia of Equestria. I have come to free you!"

"We're already free!" somebeast called from the back of the crowd.

"No!" Felldoh shouted. "We won't be truly free until the land is rid of Nightmare Moon!"

Celestia waited until the crowd quieted back down and then said, "Nightmare Moon is evil, yes, but it was the one called Discord who made her that way. He is the true enemy. When we defeat him, my sister will be good again."

"All right, so how do we stop Discord?" Felldoh asked.

Celestia outlined her battle strategy. "My ponies and I will fly over the walls of Nightmare Fortress in these chariots, along with Martin the Warrior. The rest of you will be outside the gates, waiting to charge. I will face my sister, while the rest of my troops engage the vermin. Then, Martin will open the gates so you can all charge in and join us. These six ponies here-" She indicated the bearers of the Elements. "-have the Elements of Harmony, the only thing that can defeat Discord. When they find him, they will turn him to stone. Hopefully then his spell over Luna will break and she will come back to the good side."

"But what if the spell doesn't break?" Brome asked. "What then?"

Celestia had anticipated that somebeast might ask her that question again. "Don't worry, Brome. I have a plan for that too. Just leave my sister to me."

Nobeast noticed the creature crouched at the base of the cliff. Hisk. He had heard every word. He sneaked back to Nightmare Fortress to give his mistress the news.

He found her in the office with Discord.

"There's a horde of fighters about to attack our fortress!" Hisk cried.

" _ **THE SLAVES? I HATH TOLD THEE BEFORE, I ART NOT WORRIED ABOUT THEM."**_

"No, ponies, just like you!"

Nightmare Moon pounded the table so hard it made a hole. _**"CELESTIA. WELL, THERE'S NO NEED TO BE AFRAID OF PONIES, HISK. THEY DIE JUST LIKE OTHER CREATURES, AND THEY MAKETH GOOD SLAVES, TOO. I'LL KILLETH MY SISTER JUST AS I DID BADRANG AND CLOGG, AND THEN WE'LL HATH IT ALL. SLAVES, LAND, PLUNDER, EVERYTHING!"**_

Discord could hardly contain himself. "It's going to happen today," he whispered excitedly.

Nightmare Moon burst outside and flew to the roof of her fortress. She glared up at the sun, which reminded her of her sister.

" _ **YES,"**_ she said to herself. _**"SHE DID IT TO ME. I'LL DO IT TO HER, AND SEE HOW SHE LIKETH IT."**_

She did a magic spell with her horn and the sun disappeared! The day turned to night and a full moon rose, even though it was not at all the right time of month.

All the hordebeasts rushed outside to see what was going on. Nightmare Moon glared down at them.

" _ **HEAR YE ALL!"**_ she roared at the top of her lungs. _**"I AM THE QUEEN OF THE NIGHT, AND FROM NOW ON, THERE WILL BE NO MORE DAY!"**_

 **BE CONTINUED:** _Wow, she's really gone off the deep end now! Who will win this battle of light verses darkness? And what is Discord waiting for that has hem so excited? Whatever it is, you can bee sure it won't be good._ __


	28. Chapter 28

**RECAP:** _When Nightmare Moon found out the ponies were coming to fight her, see got so angry that she bought the moon up and turned the day to knight!_

The good guys were having a brief meal before launching their attack when the sun disappeared! "What's happening?" cried Rose.

"Luna must have done this!" said Celestia.

"Look!" Clover the Clever was pointing up at the moon which had abruptly appeared in the sky. "It's not time for a full moon yet!"

"If the sun doesn't come back, our food won't grow," Smart Cookie fretted.

"No more food?" Joshy cried.

"Of all the things that could happen, this is the worst possible thing!" Princess Platinum wailed.

"What are we going to do?" Skalrag asked.

Martin set his jaw. "We're going to go right ahead with our plan, isn't that right, Princess Celestia?"

"Yes," said Celestia. "We've no time to lose!"

Felldoh leaped up. "I'm with you on that! Let's give 'em blood an' vinegar!" he chattered fiercely. "Say it with me, everybeast… FUR AND FREEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!"

"FUR AND FREEDOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM!" they all cheered.

The ponies piled back into their chariots while the other creatures lowered the ropes and descended the cliff one final time.

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"It's going to happen soon!" Discord cried.

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Martin was squeezed between Clover the Clever and Princess Platinum in a chariot pulled by Commander Hurricane and Private Pansy. Two other pegasi were transporting Chancellor Puddinghead and Smart Cookie in the vehicle right behind them. All the other chariots followed, with Princess Celestia leading the army.

Celestia looked back over her shoulder at Martin, her mane blowing in the wind. "Soon you can take your sword back," she said.

"That's right, Princess, but not before I throw open the gates of Nightmare Fortress to let my friends in."

All of a sudden there were screams from the rear of the formation. Martin craned his head around to see Nightmare Moon blasting the rearmost chariot out of the sky with an evil spell. The ponies inside fell to their deaths, and not even the two pegasi pulling could throw their wings out in time to break the fall.

Nightmare Moon laughed callously and started knocking down more chariots.

"You have to stop this!" Celestia begged. She flew to Nightmare Moon and peered into her eyes. "This isn't you, Luna. This isn't who you are. I know you're in there somewhere."

Nightmare Moon sneered. _**"THOU ALWAYS WANTED ME TO BE THE EVIL ONE. THOU WANTED ME TO BE THE UGLY ONE. WELL, DEARIE, WISH GRANTED!"**_

She flew at her sister and tried to gore her, but her horn could not penetrate Celestia, for she was wearing too much armor. Celestia managed to knock Nightmare Moon away from her with a burst of telekinesis, but Nightmare Moon blasted back. The two sisters began a deadly duel.

While Nightmare Moon was focused on fighting her sister, she wasn't killing any more pony soldiers. The remaining charioteers recognized this and continued their flight to Nightmare Fortress.

"Celestia gave us a job to do," Commander Hurricane said to Martin. "We've got to get you inside that fort!"

"I hope she'll be all right," Martin said.

"She's a smart pony," said Clover. "She'll be fine. We need to do our job, and let her do hers. That's what she wants."

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Nightmare Moon had left Hisk in charge, but he was having trouble commanding the other vermin.

"If these other ponies are anywhere near as powerful as Nightmare Moon, we're dead meat," Crosstooth whined.

"We shouldn't mess with magic beasts," a searat named Bluddnose agreed. "I've heard tales about ponies and unicorns and pegasisisisisis…"

Hisk belted him with a spear butt. "The plural of Pegasus is Pegasi, idiot! Now dig the dirt out yer ears an' listen to me, all of you. I'm Nightmare Moon's Captain. If you disobey me you're disobeyin' her. The orders is to defend the fortress, an' that's what I intend doin'. Right, does anybeast want to argue it out with Nightmare Moon when she gets back?"

There was a shuffling of paws and some sullen muttering.

"All right, Hisk, you've made yer point," a voice from the group called out. "Let's gerron with it."

Hisk gave a humorless laugh. "I'm glad you see it my way. Oh, and by the way, only Nightmare Moon calls me Hisk. It's Captain Hisk to you lot. Remember that!"

Hisk ordered the horde to mount the walltops, and they did, just in time to see the chariots approaching.

"Here we go," Commander Hurricane said to the ponies. "As soon as we get overhead, drop your spears!"

The vermin started shooting arrows at the ponies, but the chariot riders loosed a volley of spears from above, hitting the enemy hard. The battle had begun.

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 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Woo will win? And whatever happened two Clogg? As Did cord would say, things are smarting to get interesting._


	29. Chapter 29

**RECAP:** _The climatic battle has commenced at Nightmayor Fortress._

All over the courtyard of Nightmare Fortress, rats, weasels, ferrets, and foxes were fighting earth ponies, unicorns, and pegasi. Complete chaos and confusion. It was a scene Discord would have loved, but oddly he was nowhere to be seen.

Reckless with caution, Martin fought like ten beasts as he carved a path to the gates with a sword a pony had given him. After he let the others in he would find his own sword.

Two ferrets named Boggs and Stumptooth were guarding the gates, armed with pikes. The warrior mouse slipped under their shafts before the vermin had a chance to react. He stabbed Boggs in the stomach, then swung his sword behind him, slashing Stumptooth across the face. Stumptooth howled and fell to the ground.

There was a creaking of timber as Martin began to push the gates open.

Outside, the Fur and Freedom Fighters were waiting expectantly. "Gangway, the doors are openin'!" Felldoh yelled out urgently.

Joshy squeezed Brome's paw. "Just stick close t'me, young un. We'll look out for each other, wot."

Once Martin had them open all the way, they charged in, shouting battle cries.

"Fur and Freedom!" shouted the former slaves.

"Ambala Ambala! Kill kill kill!" shouted the shrews.

"I am Groot!" shouted Groot.

Mice, squirrels, hares, otters, moles, and shrews, along with one rat and one fox, galloped into the courtyard of Nightmare Fortress, where they joined the battle already in progress.

Martin turned and rushed into the main building. He knew his sword must be somewhere in there.

As he stood in the hallway, unsure which direction to run, he heard a voice behind him. "I never was in a war, is it always this complicated?"

Martin spun around. "Rose! What are you doing here?"

The mousemaid smiled, holding a spear haft. "If you can fight, I can fight too. Now let's go get your sword."

Despite the urgency of the situation, Martin had to take a moment to pause. "Rose, I love you, you know that?"

"I know you do. And I love you."

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Felldoh fought like a Badger Lord in the midst of Bloodwrath. He had a big stone that he was using as a club. He battered vermin to the ground with startling speed.

Hisk had Private Pansy cornered against a wall. The weasel was stabbing at her with a spear, but he couldn't seem to make contact. Every blow he aimed at her glanced off and hit the wall. This was because Pansy was wearing her Element of Harmony, and it protected her. But she was still terrified, too terrified to move. She couldn't see her friends anywhere.

Felldoh caught sight of Hisk attacking poor Pansy and his blood boiled. Hisk had bent many a rod against his back in the past. Now it was time to settle the score.

He leapt on Hisk and began bashing him with his rock. "This is for the beating and the marching and the starving and the lashing!"

"Help! Help!" Hisk called out.

A welter of horde vermin fell upon Felldoh, knocking him to the ground. Pansy peeked out from behind her hooves. The squirrel could not be seen, but he was still fighting.

Clover the Clever appeared and threw herself into the fray. She fired spell after spell at the rats, weasels, and ferrets attacking Felldoh. One by one they all fell, but it was too late for the squirrel. He lay with a calm smile on his face as his eyes closed for the last time.

Hisk was dead too. Felldoh had managed to finish him off before being attacked.

"I hate this," Private Pansy whispered.

"Me too," Clover said. "I wish we could hurry up and find Discord so this would all be over."

"Fried chicken!" Joshy yelled, throwing a piece of chicken at a weasel named Rotnose. Rotnose lost his balance and fell over. Smart Cookie finished him off.

Brome hung close to Joshy. Soon the two of them encountered a wounded searat. It was Wulpp, the one who had brought them into the fortress when they were disguised. He recognized them.

"Wha... you're that mouse and hare who were pretending to be Rika and Benry. It's me, mates, Wulpp, don't kill me!"

Joshy and Brome looked at each other. They came to an unspoken decision.

Brome handed Joshy a spear and Joshy drove it into the earth where the rat was lying. "Steady on, old chap," Joshy whispered. "Lie still an' pretend to be dead."

"When things quiet down, you can take off south down the beach," Brome added. "Good luck!"

Skalrag found himself face to face with the rat Frogbit. "Skalrag, what're you doing back here?" Frogbit cried. "Why are you on the slaves' side?"

"They're not slaves anymore," Skalrag snarled. "They're free creatures now!" He stabbed the rat in the chest (the ponies had given him a sword too).

"Why, mate, why?" Frogbit sobbed as he died.

Skalrag felt no pity for him. The rat certainly hadn't lifted a paw to help Skalrag when he was stripped of his rank and thrown into the prison pit.

Crosstooth fought his way along the north wall to the rear, hoping to reach the back wall, which offered quietness and a chance of escape. The fox was a seasoned battler, and cut his way through several pigmy shrews with the long bladed spear he carried.

Queen Ambala wriggled away from the questing spearpoint as Crosstooth sought to skewer her, striking out valiantly with her small shrew sword. Commander Hurricane sailed in, hooves first, catching the fox in the lower back and sending him sprawling. Ambala was quick; she dispatched the fox with a single thrust as he fell forward upon her. Pushing her way free of the body, she leaped upright. "Gracias!" she said.

"Pico de Gallo," the Pegasus replied. That was the only Spanish phrase she knew. She flew over to the center of the courtyard, where Princess Platinum, Clover, Chancellor Puddinghead, Cookie, and Pansy were gathered.

"We don't seem to have many enemies left," Princess Platinum commented.

"But we can't find Discord anywhere!" Puddinghead said, jumping up and down.

Clover looked over at the main building. "He must be somewhere inside there."

"I'm scared to go in there," Pansy said. She took a deep breath. "But I will if I have to."

"C'mon!" cried Commander Hurricane.

"Yee-ha!" yelled Smart Cookie as the six of them rushed inside.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

Martin and Rose had fought their way to the top floor of the fortress, where Badrang's old bedroom was. Nightmare Moon had hardly been in there at all.

Martin dashed into the room ahead of Rose. The sword was in this room, he could feel it in his fur!

There it was, lying on the dresser. Martin picked it up with pride.

"Well done, Martin. You finally reclaimed your father's sword," said a familiar voice.

Martin whirled around. Rose was gone and standing in the doorway was… Badrang!

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Watt? How can Badrang be alive when we saw Lorna kill him? Find out next clapper._


	30. Chapter 30

**RECAP:** _The Fur and Freedom Fighters have triumphed over the vermin, butt Celesta and Luna are still fighting somewhere. Martin went into Bajrang's old room ad found his old sword, only to find Baring himself confronting him._

Martin had made a vow when he was chained up on the wall that he would slay the evil stoat one day. When he heard that Nightmare Moon had killed Badrang, he thought he would not be able to fulfill his promise to himself. But now he saw Badrang standing right in front of him, not dead after all, but hideously, nightmarishly alive!

"Why, Martin, why are you looking at me like that?"

Martin would not bandy words with his old enemy. He advanced upon Badrang, sword in paw.

Badrang appeared to realize what Martin was going to do just before he did it. "Martin! No!"

Martin thrust his sword right into the stoat's chest. He screamed "Ah Ah!" but Martin did not stop stabbing him until he lay on the floor dead.

But as the mouse gazed down at Badrang, the stoat turned into another animal before Martin's eyes. Where Badrang had been, Rose now was instead, very, very, dead.

"It… happened!" said a voice from inside the bedroom. Martin turned. One of the pillows on the bed rose up and changed into Discord.

In a flash, Martin realized what had occurred. Discord had tricked him. He had used his magic to make Martin think he was seeing Badrang, when it was actually Rose he was killing.

"You monster!" Martin yelled. He ran at Discord and sliced his head off with the sword. Discord's head fell to the floor.

"Fools want to play a fool's game," said the head. "You cannot kill me with a sword. Any stab to me creates no harm at all!" Discord picked up his own head and stuck it right back on his neck.

"Why did you do this?" Martin wailed. "I loved Rose, and you made me kill her!"

"Because I'm evil!" said Discord. "I turn people against each other for a living. It's just what I do. That's the reason I'm called Discord." He began to imitate Coldsteel the Hedgehog's voice. "So stop askin' me why, that's why. Nothin' personal, kid."

Martin couldn't say anything, or even move. His anger and grief were too great.

"There's no doubt about it, Discord old boy," said Discord. "Things have turned out even better than you planned. Your work here is done."

He sauntered out the door and into the hallway. There he found the bearers of the Elements of Harmony.

"Oh… crap," he said.

With steely resolve, the ancestors of the Mane 6 fired up their Elements. They all rose into the air as blinding white light filled the hall.

When the light died, Discord had turned into a statue. He had a cocky expression on his stone face, still taunting his foes even in defeat.

"Woo-ee!" Smart Cookie cheered. She reared up and clapped her front hooves.

But Clover the Clever had seen Rose's dead body inside Badrang's room. "Silence your cheers, friends. Our victory was won at a bitter price."

They all entered the room.

"What happened?" Pansy asked.

"I killed Rose!" Martin sobbed.

"You mean Discord killed her?" Platinum interpreted.

"No. I killed her. With my father's sword. I shall never fight with it again." That was all Martin could say before he fainted.

Puddinghead and Pansy's eyes were glazed with tears. "Why would he kill his best friend?" Puddinghead wondered.

"Discord can make things appear to look like other things," said Clover. "I read that he once made a big boulder look like a diamond so that ponies would fight over it. If I had to guess, I'd say when Martin looked at Rose, Discord made him see an old enemy of his."

The six of them went outside, Smart Cookie carrying Martin on her back. It was still dark. By this time all the vermin were "either blinkin' well dead or bloomin' well fled, wot wot!" as Joshy Stag Hare put it. Except for two who had switched sides at the right time and thus saved their own lives, Skalrag the fox and Oilback the rat.

Brome came running up to the pony leaders. "What happened to Martin? And what happened to my sister?"

"She's dead," Smart Cookie said honestly.

"What? How did she die?"

The ponies hesitated. They were unsure how Brome would react if he learned that his friend had killed his sister.

"Discord killed her," Clover said finally. And really, that was the truth.

Brome burst into tears.

Before anypony could say something to comfort him, Nightmare Moon appeared in the sky. Her eyes crackled.

" _ **YE HATH KILLED MY SOLDIERS. NOW I SHALL KILL YE ALL!"**_

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _Oh no! It look like Celesta was wrong. Turning Disco to stone did not automatically undo his spells, as she hopped. How will they defeat Knightmayor Man now?_


	31. Chapter 31

**RECAP:** _Discord ricked Martin into killing Rose, before being turned to stone. Now Nightmare Mono comes back to kill everyone._

Nightmare Moon surveyed the scene below her. She looked at the panicked creatures in the courtyard, trying to decide which one to kill first. The hare who had defied her by doing magic? The fox who had helped capture her and bring her here? The rat who had wounded her by throwing a knife at her? The ponies who had defeated her dark army?

"This ends now, Luna!" a voice said from behind her. Nightmare Moon turned around to see her sister Celestia flapping towards her.

"I won't see you hurt anyone else ever again!" Celestia cried.

Nightmare Moon grinned. _**"THAT'S RIGHT. THOU WON'T, BECAUSE I WILL KILLETH THEE NOW, BEFORE THOU CANST SEETH ME HURTETH ANYONE ELSE!"**_

They charged toward each other. They both blasted with their horns at the same time. White light shot out of Celestia's horn and purple light came out of Luna's. The spells smashed into each other and connected like in Harry Potter. Neither one of the sisters could move. They hung suspended in space, glaring into each other's eyes.

"We've gotta help her!" Commander Hurricane yelled.

"But what can we possibly do?" Princess Platinum asked.

Suddenly the six ponies felt their Elements glowing. They all hovered into the air again, surrounding Celestia and giving her extra strength. With the Elements of Harmony assisting her, Celestia was able to gain the upper hoof on her sister. The magic connecting the alicorns' horns all zoomed straight toward Nightmare Moon!

Just like when Discord turned to stone, there was another blinding flash of light. When it cleared, Nightmare Moon had disappeared.

"Is she… dead?" Pansy asked tentatively.

But Joshy Stag Hare was pointing up at the moon. "No, she ain't dead! Look!"

Everybeast looked up to see a shadow on the face of the moon which hadn't been there before. A shadow in the shape of a mare. The Mare in the Moon.

Skalrag could hardly comprehend it. "She's… in the moon?"

"Yes," said Celestia. "I hoped that when Discord was defeated, all his magic would automatically be undone and Luna would go back to normal. But I always knew this might not be the case. But I told you I had a backup plan, and this was it. I couldn't make her good again, so I imprisoned her in the moon." She looked at the other ponies. "I couldn't have done it without you, my friends."

"Well, that's where the old gel wanted to go anyway," said Joshy. "On the day she took over Marshank, she said we'd keep buildin' the tower until it reached all the way to the moon. I guess she got her wish, wot wot."

"I guess so," Celestia said. But she was still sad. She wished she had been able to save her sister.

 **TOBY CONTINUER:** _Nightmare Moon and Disco have bean defeated but what about Clogg? And what about Matan? What will happen to him?_


	32. Chapter 32

**RECAP:** _Nightmare Moon has bin banished to the moon. I'm running out of thins to say in these recraps. I don't think ill include them in future stores._

Celestia lost no time in raising the sun again.

Most of the ponies went back to Equestria the following day, taking the statue of Discord with them to put in Celestia's palace garden. But Celestia stayed behind, nursing Martin back to health in a tent on the beach. She spent a lot of time with Brome. Both of them had lost a sister in the battle of Nightmare Fortress.

At last, one day, Martin woke up. He saw Brome, Grumm, Joshy, Skalrag, and Princess Celestia standing over him.

"Nice to see you awake again," Brome said friendlily. Martin was aghast. How could Brome still be speaking to him so kindly? He must not know what Martin had done to his sister. A wave of guilt washed over the warrior.

"Brome- I killed Rose!"

Brome's mouth hung open as Martin sobbed out the sad story. When he was finished, Brome said, "It wasn't your fault, it was mine. If I had stayed at Noonvale and not gone wandering I would never have been captured by Badrang's creatures and this never would have happened. I am to blame!"

"Will you two listen to yourselves?" Skalrag shook his head. "Okay, I'm gonna give you some tough love here. Martin, it wasn't your fault Rose died and Brome, it wasn't your fault either. There's only one guy t'blame and that's Discord."

But Martin still blamed himself. "It was my sword that did the deed. I am not worthy to be called a warrior! I should never have come back to this coast."

Skalrag got really angry. "What's all this nonsense, don't you be talkin' that way, Martin! Supposin' you hadn't come back, eh? Then there'd still be countless creatures suffering in slavery! Nightmare Moon might have taken over the whole world and started attacking other planets! So don't ye dare say you shouldn't have returned. You helped to rid the world of an evil. Hell, if it weren't for you, I wouldn't be standing here today! We helped each other escape the prison pit, remember? You _are_ a warrior, and someday everybeast is gonna know your name! Martin the Warrior!"

Martin had never heard a fox speak so forcefully, or truly. Wiping his eyes, he clasped Skalrag's paw firmly. "Thank you, Skalrag, you're right. I never thought I'd have a fox for a friend."

Grumm broke in. "Wot be you'm a-goin' t'do now, Marthen?"

"I don't know," the mouse said.

"You could still go back to Noonvale with us," said Brome. "I could sort of be your brother. My parents could be your dad and mother."

Martin shook his head. "I don't think your parents would want the killer of their daughter living with them. And anyway, I don't want to go to Noonvale now. It would bring back too many memories."

"You can live in Canterlot with me if you want," Celestia offered.

"No," Martin said. "That's not the right place for me either. Equestria's a nice country, but it's not where I feel I belong."

"Where _do_ you want to go?" Celestia asked.

"I don't know. I guess I'll travel south, far away from this area."

"I could go along with you a little way," the alicorn said. "Would you like that, Martin? One last adventure together?"

Martin smiled a small smile. "Sure."

The next day, Martin and Celestia bid their friends goodbye. Brome and Grumm returned to Noonvale, and Joshy and Skalrag went with them. Later Oilback the rat found his way to Noonvale too, and he and Joshy ended up becoming good friends.

A few weeks later, Martin and Celestia arrived in Mossflower Woods. They came upon a house built into an enormous hollow tree. A badger was sitting outside. She waved to them.

"Greetings, travelers," she called. "I am Bella of Brockhall."

That name sounded familiar to Celestia. "You don't know another badger named Lord Brocktree, do you?"

"He's my grandfather," Bella said. "Why, have you met him?"

And so they went inside Bella's house and Celestia told Bella the story of how she and her sister Luna had once helped Brocktree reclaim the mountain kingdom of Salamandastron from an evil cat named Ungatt Trunn.

Brockhall was a cozy place. Martin sat sipping some tea Bella had poured for him. Suddenly he stood up and said, "This is the place. This is where I want to live. Mossflower!"

"Well, you're welcome by me to settle here, but now is a poor time to live in Mossflower," said Bella. "We're under the grip of a tyrant. An evil cat named Verdauga Greeneyes, who's actually Ungatt Trunn's brother!"

After a pause, Martin drew his sword. "Then I will stay and help you fight him! I made an oath that I would never fight again, but it looks like I'll have to break it."

"I'll help too," Celestia said. "I'll go back and get my army and…"

Martin interrupted her, clasping her hoof. "No, Princess. You and your ponies have been caught up in foreign wars long enough. You need to return to your own kingdom."

"Are you sure you don't want my help?" Celestia asked.

"I'm sure," Martin declared. The young mouse had found his purpose in life. He was an older and wiser warrior now.

 **TO BE CONTINUED:** _I may right another story about Marin someday, bashed on "Mossflower," but it will not be a crossover with My Little Pony. It'd be something else. Mean whale, this story is not quiet over yet…_


	33. Chapter 33

**FINAL RECAP:** _Discrod was turned to stone and Nightmare Mono was banished to the moon, but one villain is still unaccounted for…_

The area where Marshank/Nightmare Fortress had been was eventually renamed Everfree, because there was no more slavery there. And the forest that Martin and Celestia had travelled through on the way to Equestria was called the Everfree Forest. When Nightmare Moon returned from the moon years later, she went back to Nightmare Fortress and that was where Twilight Sparkle and her friends defeated her again, for good this time. But you saw that before, in the actual show.

BUT HERE'S SOMETHING YOU DIDN'T SEE!

AND IT STARTS

LIKE

THIS…

The day after the big battle, a stout stoat lumbered through the gates of Nightmare Fortress. He was Captain Clogg!

The sun was setting on the once proud fortress, now deserted and forsaken. A breeze lingered, swirling the dust and sand into miniature spirals, mingling it with ashes around the carcasses of the vermin horde.

Clogg cackled. "Haharrharr! They're all dead, dead and gone, only me left! I'm master 'ere now, just like I said I'd be one day!" The crazed corsair clumped about, turning first this one and then another, chatting amiably with the slain.

"Crosstooth, me ole matey, yore lookin' prime! Harr, Frogbit, I told you you'd gone soft. Stumptooth, I allus said you should've sided with me."

He looked all over, but he couldn't find the body he wanted to see the most. "Arr, where are you, Nightmare Moon? When I find you, I'll dig ye a smart new grave, nice an' deep, aye, with rocks piled atop an' yer name carved all 'andsome like on one of 'em!"

He heard a screech above him. He craned his head up and saw the vampire bats from Chapter 2 (you forgot all about them, didn't you?) diving towards him. Night had come.

The pirate stoat picked up a cutlass lying on the ground and waved it at the bats. "Garn! Gerroutofit, you robbin' bloodsuckers! Leave my 'orde alone."

But the vampires didn't listen. "Fool!" shrieked Batula. "Vampires vill not go avay just cause you tell them to!" He bit Clogg and then Clogg became a vampire too!

"'Ell yeah, actually this is awesome," said Clogg. "Now I'm a vampire _and_ a pirate. A vampirate!" He was invincible now, as long as he stayed away from garlic.

The stoat glided out of the fortress. Just like Bella Swan, all his clumsiness disappeared when he became a vampire. He looked up and saw Princess Luna's face on the moon.

"Haharr, I see you, my pretty. If you ever come down from there, I'll be waiting for ye."

THE END

FOR NOW


End file.
